President Bola Tinubu has urged young Nigerians to reconsider their plans for a national protest against the rising cost of living, assuring them that their grievances are being actively addressed. Tinubu’s appeal, conveyed through Information Minister Mohammed Idris, seeks to defuse tensions as the country braces for demonstrations scheduled to start in August. The President emphasized his commitment to resolving the economic issues that have sparked discontent among the youth.
The plea for calm comes amid a growing controversy involving Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Onanuga’s recent statements have ignited a firestorm, particularly after he accused former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi and his supporters of masterminding the planned protests. Obi’s legal team has demanded an apology and N5 billion in damages from Onanuga, asserting that the accusations are baseless and damaging.
Obi’s legal representatives, led by Chief Alex Ejesieme, SAN, have threatened to pursue legal action if Onanuga fails to retract his statements and issue an apology within 72 hours. The letter from Obi’s team denounced the allegations as a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation and undermine his commitment to non-violence.
In a related development, Professor Pat Utomi, a prominent figure in the Labour Party, has also threatened legal action against Onanuga. Utomi has demanded evidence to support Onanuga’s claims or face a lawsuit seeking N500 billion for defamation and false accusations. Utomi warned that if the matter is not resolved, he will escalate the issue to international courts, highlighting concerns about potential political motivations behind the allegations.
Meanwhile, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has criticized Onanuga’s statements, asserting that the planned protests are driven by widespread public dissatisfaction rather than orchestrated by Obi or his supporters. MASSOB’s leader, Comrade Uchenna Madu, accused Onanuga and others of engaging in character assassination rather than addressing the underlying issues of poverty and corruption.
The South-East Revival Group (SERG) has also condemned the accusations against Obi, calling them reckless and a diversion from the real issues facing the country. SERG’s National Secretary, Hon. Agu Chineme, urged the government to focus on addressing the pressing needs of Nigerians rather than engaging in what they describe as baseless propaganda.
As tensions rise, President Tinubu’s call for restraint underscores the delicate balance the government must maintain in addressing both the economic challenges and the political controversies that are shaping Nigeria’s current landscape.
