The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to engage in dialogue with leaders of the planned August protest against the current economic hardships in Nigeria.
The organization emphasized the need for the government to take immediate actions to alleviate the burden of increased electricity tariffs and high food and fuel prices.
In a statement released on Tuesday, OPC President Otunba Wasiu Afolabi urged the protesters to remain peaceful and engage in dialogue. He highlighted the importance of government intervention in reducing the cost of essential commodities.
“A hungry man is an angry man. The government must crash the price of food, electricity and fuel for peace to reign and for people to know that the government cares about their welfare,” Afolabi said.
Afolabi also called on President Tinubu to issue an Executive Order to open up the borders in the South-West and South-South regions to allow for the influx of food, which could help lower prices.
Furthermore, he encouraged the government to focus on making the nation’s refineries operational to reduce dependency on imported petroleum products.
“If one man, Aliko Dangote, can build a refinery in less than 10 years, how can ordinary maintenance of four full-fledged and functional refineries become an impossible task since 1999 when civilians took over power? What is the mystery?” Afolabi questioned. He stressed the need for the government to identify and apprehend those responsible for making life difficult for ordinary Nigerians.
Meanwhile, the Liberty Movement of Nigeria, a civil rights group, has urged Nigerians to be patient with the Tinubu administration. Olusola Edward, the group’s Convener, emphasized the importance of dialogue over conflict. “Dialogue is often the best way out of social discontent,” Edward said. “At the end of any war, people will still sit around the table for discussions to end hostilities. So why not avoid the war and initiate discussions to prevent a breakdown of peace, law, and order? ‘Jaw-jaw’ is always better than war-war.”
The Take It Back Movement, one of the main organizers of the nationwide protest scheduled for Thursday, remains firm on proceeding with their plans. In response, security agencies, including the police, military, and civil defense, have deployed officers across various states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to ensure safety during the protests.
