For the umpteenth time, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appealed for patience among Nigerians, assuring that the country is transitioning from darkness to dawn.... CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶▶
In an official video released by the State House Wednesday, Tinubu acknowledged the ongoing hardships orchestrated by the removal of the fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira.
Tinubu had Sunday begged Nigerians on street protests to suspend it and come forward to dialogue with the government.
Pleading, Mr. president said: “Fellow Nigerians, this period may be hard on us and there’s no doubt that it is tough, but I urge you all to look beyond the present temporary pains and aim at the larger picture. All our good and helpful plans are in the works. More importantly, I know that they will work. Sadly, there was an avoidable lag between subsidy removal and these plans coming fully online.
“I plead with you, please have faith in our ability to deliver and our concern for your well-being. We will get out of this turbulence, and due to the measures we have taken, Nigeria will be better equipped and able to take advantage of the future that awaits her.
“For example, we shall fulfil our promise to make education more affordable to all and provide loans to higher education students who may need them. No Nigerian student will have to abandon higher education due to lack of money.
“Our commitment is to promote the greatest good for the greatest number of our people. On principle, we shall never falter. I assure you, my fellow countrymen and women, that we are exiting the darkness to enter a new and glorious dawn. Now, I must get back to work in order to make this vision come true.”
…FG cautions on foreign interference
In a related development, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar has cautioned foreign countries against meddling in the Nigeria’s internal affairs.
The minister spoke against the backdrop of the #ENDBADGOVERNANCE nationwide protest where flags of Russia and a host of other countries were being flown by protesters, especially in some states in the northern part of the country.
Speaking Wednesday in Abuja at a meeting with envoys of some countries in Nigeria, the minister warned that the government won’t hesitate to deal with any foreign entity backing the protesters directly or indirectly.
Notwithstanding, he told the envoys that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was aware of the current hardship and addressing same to bring succour to the people.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu understands the pain and frustration that drive the protests and has assured that his government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of Nigerians. He has appealed particularly to the youths and advised them not to let violence and destruction tear the country apart. While admitting that there have been many dashed hopes in the past, he affirmed that Nigeria is in a new era of Renewed Hope as the government is working hard and that the results will soon be visible and concrete for everyone to see, feel, and enjoy.
“Consequently, the President has directed that the security operatives should continue to maintain peace, law, and order in the country in line with the necessary conventions on human rights to which Nigeria is a signatory, as the safety and security of all Nigerians are paramount.
“Members of the diplomatic corps, I have provided you with a lot of detail, and some of the facts and figures that reflect where we are and what we, as a responsible, elected government, are trying to do. But this is about more than the numbers. The President led the campaign against military dictatorship in the 1990s and believes in a democracy, in Nigeria’s democracy that freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and the right to dissent are fundamental.
“But Nigeria is a country under the rule of law. No one can tolerate the thuggish behaviour of fringe elements and those who stand behind them,” Tuggar said.
Speaking further, the minister warned: “While the government continues to work hard through the various reform programs and measures to address the challenges facing Nigeria and Nigerians, it is pertinent to remind us that no nation tolerates foreign interference in its domestic affairs and that of its citizens. Nigeria is not an exception.
“The government would take appropriate action against any foreign entity residing in Nigeria that is found to have directly or indirectly supported the protesters by whatever means or seeks to interfere in the internal affairs of the country.
“Nigeria cherishes and continues to value the cordial relationships that happily subsist between her and your individual countries and organizations and will not do anything to undermine or take for granted such relationships. Indeed, more than any time before now, we solicit your understanding and collaboration in the ongoing efforts of the Federal government in addressing the economic challenges confronting the country, to achieve a better life for every Nigerian at home and abroad.”
…U.S., UK respond
In their various responses, the British and the United States governments drummed support for Tinubu‘s economic reforms, describing them as an essential path to future prosperity of Nigeria.
They also called on the government to continue treading the path of dialogue in addressing the issues raised around the ongoing nationwide protest across the country.
Speaking at the session, the British High Commissioner, Richard Montgomery, lauded security agencies for not using lethal force on the protesters, despite the complexity of the situation.
“Before I ask my full question, I commend the synergy and policing agencies for avoiding lethal force. This is a big and complex situation, and we have noted very clearly the commitment to enabling a peaceful process and the commitment to policing proportionately.
“And I just wanted to put on record our appreciation of some of the handling. We have a lot of empathy for people facing significant hardship. The level of inflation is significant, and I would endorse my colleagues’ question and interest in the dialogue and the peace-building that needs to continue in Nigeria given the hardship that people face.
“But I also want to put on record that we fully support the big and important economic reforms that are going on in Nigeria at the moment, which we see as essential for the future prosperity of the country, and indeed the economic relationships of many of us here with this major power, “ said Montgomery.
Also speaking, Mr Mills of the U.S. embassy, sympathised with those who suffered one way or the other during the proptes, but added that his country was in support of the administration’s reforms.
Mills said: “And let me echo others here by thanking you for bringing us together for this useful and informative briefing. I also want to take this platform just to express my Embassy’s condolences for the loss of life and suffering that Nigeria has seen over the past several days.
“And let me echo my British colleague’s comments that we understand the difficulty that the reforms President Tinubu and his administration have undertaken have imposed. We know that these reforms are necessary, and we have supported and worked with the administration as they have carried them out.”
…Tinubu correcting historical missteps – Idris
Also speaking at the meeting, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris has said the Tinubu administration’s primary focus is not to impose hardship on Nigerians but to correct poor policies and dysfunctional choices that have historically hindered the nation’s progress.
Idris said President Tinubu was determined to implement reforms that would drive sustainable growth and improve the quality of life for all citizens, describing the current challenges as only temporary.
“It is important to kick off on this note: that President Tinubu did not come to office to cause hardship or make life difficult for Nigerians. He has come to office with bold solutions to historical problems; with the determination to correct many of the poor policies and dysfunctional choices that have held us back as a nation for decades.
“The President assumed office during one of Nigeria’s most challenging periods in its history, where the country was spending 97% of all its revenue on debt service; coupled with widespread poverty, rising unemployment, dilapidated infrastructure, and insecurity. Faced with these daunting realities, the administration took decisive action and implemented long-overdue reforms to save the economy from collapse,” he said.
Idris said for decades, “the costly, wasteful and unsustainable fuel subsidy regime had denied Nigeria the opportunity to invest in critical infrastructure, social service, and the welfare of its citizens hence the President took a very painful decision to abolish the fuel subsidy and redirect the funds towards critical sectors such as healthcare, education, infrastructure, and security, which directly impact citizens’ well-being and the development of the country.”
He said Tinubu was not under any illusion that the withdrawal of fuel subsidy and the harmonization of foreign exchange rates would not come with some transitional pains – situation that informed the decision of the Federal Government to design comprehensive intervention programmes to cushion the transitional pains.
“We have been very determined about ensuring that these interventions are fully implemented, and bring the intended relief to Nigerians,” he stated.
While speaking on the nationwide protest, the minister said the government respects the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, which are cornerstones of all democratic societies, but stressed that what began as a peaceful protest in some States and the Federal Capital Territory, was soon hijacked by elements who infiltrated the protest and orchestrated violent activities that destroyed lives and properties.
“There were reports of arson, vandalism, looting, and clashes with law enforcement agents in several cities. Tragically, these incidents led to the loss of innocent lives and significant damage to properties.
“In response to these unforeseen events, the Federal Government acted swiftly to restore peace and order. It is important to emphasize that the security forces were instructed to exercise maximum restraint and adhere to international standards in managing civil protests. They have indeed put in a lot of work to ensure the safety of all law-abiding Nigerians, and to maintain order, in the last week. But they have also been decisive in their response to criminality, and it is important to separate these from their commendable approach to legitimate protests,” he said.
