Planned National Protest Is Politically Motivated, Says Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has described the planned national protest dated August 1 as politically induced.

Wike stated this on Tuesday in Abuja during an inspection tour of the Apo Karshi Road, saying the planned protest is to divert the attention of Nigerians from efforts by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration

He appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the Federal Government as modalities are being worked to bring succour to the masses.

Speaking further, the minister also issued a seven-month ultimatum to the contractors of the Apo-Karshi Road to complete the project.

Dissatisfied with the slow pace of work on the road, Wike said that the delay is not far-fetched from persons with personal and political interest

He disclosed that 80% of the money awarded for the contract was paid and there is no reason for an uncompleted.

The Apo-Karshi project was awarded in 2011 under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan at the cost of about N6 billion.

13 years after, the over 13 kilometers project is yet to be completed.

Shelve Protest
Worried by the implication of the protest on the economy and security, President Bola Tinubu has called on the organisers of the ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest to shelve their action.

The protest against economic hardship, which is gaining traction on social media, has been scheduled to be held across all states of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in August. The organisers of the protest have been faceless.

Prices of food and basic commodities have gone through the roof in the last months, as Nigerians battle one of the country’s worst inflation and economic crisis sparked by the government’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex windows.

Information Minister Mohammed Idris, who briefed selected State House correspondents after a meeting with the President on Tuesday, said Tinubu urged the protest organisers to shelve the plan and await the President’s response to their complaints.

“The issue of the planned protest, Mr President does not see any need for that. He’s asked them to shelve that plan. He’s asked them to await the government’s response to all their pleas,” the minister said.