Kogi State government has announced that its citizens will not participate in the anti-government protest scheduled for August 1. This statement was made clear by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, on Sunday.
Fanwo emphasized Kogi State’s commitment to the ongoing efforts at both the national and sub-national levels aimed at revitalizing Nigeria’s economy. He noted that the state stands in full solidarity with these initiatives, aiming to improve the country’s economic situation.
In a stern warning to opposition groups, the Kogi State government cautioned against inciting unrest through anti-government demonstrations. The government expressed satisfaction with the reports that many citizens of Kogi are prepared to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to protect the economic interests of the underprivileged. The state government highlighted that the people of Kogi are not willing to participate in actions that could destabilize the nation.
Recently, the Presidency accused Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, of orchestrating the planned protest. However, the Labour Party has strongly denied this allegation.
Furthermore, the military and police have been mobilizing to prevent the protest, which has been a topic of significant concern.
Commissioner Fanwo urged Nigerians to recognize President Tinubu’s diligent work to revive the nation’s economy. He pointed out that the government’s fiscal and monetary policies are already showing positive outcomes. In addition, the Federal Government has introduced several economic incentives to address the challenges faced by the populace.
He highlighted various sectors that are receiving focused attention, including agriculture, industrialization, infrastructure, education, and healthcare. According to Fanwo, these efforts demonstrate the government’s commitment to addressing the nation’s issues.
Fanwo stated, “As responsible citizens, there is a need to queue behind the efforts of the government at all levels to frontally deal with the issues challenging our well-being. A protest would have been proper if the government was making no efforts. Protests would have been popular if the efforts were not bearing fruit yet. Protests would have been understandable if we were not gradually moving out of the hopeless situation. But a protest at this point is an attack on the foundation of our rebuilding process and an attempt to throw the nation into the darkness orchestrated during the #EndSARS destruction and carnage.”
