Nigeria’s Tinubu under pressure to resign

from EMEKA OKONKWO in Abuja, Nigeria
Nigeria Bureau
ABUJA, (CAJ News) – PROTESTS demanding the resignation of President Bola Tinubu are looming amid economic problems in Nigeria.

The demonstrations are scheduled for August 1-to-15, in what will be Tinubu’s biggest tests since he came to power early in 2023.

The former Lagos governor (72) is presiding over a government that has seen the West African country slide down the rankings from the biggest economy in the continent to fourth.

Corruption is also rife in Africa’s largest nation by population, estimated at 229 million.

Anti-government activists are rallying under slogans such as “End Bad Governance” and “Tinubu Must Go.”

They are planning a series of actions over several demands, including electoral and anti-corruption reforms and reduced electricity and fuel tariffs.

Participants plan to gather at governor’s offices across Nigeria and at the National Assembly in the capital, Abuja.

On August 1 specifically, participants are planning to block roads from city centres and airports in Abuja, Enugu, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos and Port Harcourt.

Clashes are looming between the anti-government protesters and those supporting Tinubu and the government.

Activists supporting the government are rallying under the slogan, “Protect Nigeria.”

The planned demonstrations have been a source of political tensions lately.

This follows allegations by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, that supporters of former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, were behind the planned nationwide protests.

The South East Revival Group (SERG), a regional pressure group, has condemned the allegations.

Agu Chineme, the SERG National Secretary, said, “President Tinubu’s handlers could plunge the country into chaos with their reckless propaganda and desperation to continue the now nine years of blame games of the failed successive All Progressives Congress (APC) administrations.”

Chineme said the government had failed to deliver on its promises but was resorting to spreading falsehoods and lies about Obi.

Obi finished third in the presidential elections that Tinubu’s rivals challenged in court, to no avail.

“The SERG demands that the government should focus on addressing the pressing issues facing Nigerians rather than trying to divert attention from its failures,” Chineme said.

Police Inspector General, Kayode Egbetokun, warned would-be protesters to desist from violence.

“We will not sit back and fold our arms to watch activities unleash violence on our peaceful communities or destroy any national critical infrastructure and assets,” he said.

It is believed the protests are inspired by the event in Kenya, where youth are engaged in demonstrations demanding the resignation of President William Ruto.

Around 50 people have been killed in the country, which also has lost its ranking as East Africa’s largest economy, now lying second behind Ethiopia.

Similarly, Nigeria, under the rulership of Tinubu has slided to fourth position behind South Africa, Egypt and Algeria.

– CAJ News