Reps in last-minute move to stop hunger protest

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has again appealed to organisers of the planned nationwide protest to embrace dialogue with the Federal Government to find solutions to the hardship being felt across the country.

Federal lawmakers, ministers, and highly-placed government officials have been appealing to the organisers to be patient with the government, stating that the policies being implemented by President Bola Tinubu-led government are bearing fruits gradually.

In his keynote address at the townhall meeting with youth groups at National Assembly Complex on Wednesday, Abbas reiterated his belief that dialogue and not protest, remains the key to addressing the challenges facing the country.

He said, “You have raised your voices, calling for an end to hunger, a reduction in the cost of living, an improvement in the minimum wage, and enhanced human capital development. These demands, though varied, converge on a single, powerful call for a better quality of life for all Nigerians.

“Our purpose today is not to intimidate, entice, buy off, or stifle your constitutionally enshrined powers of free expression. Rather, it is to create a formal avenue of regular engagement, ensuring that your voices are heard at the highest levels of government. My message to you today is that ‘your voice matters, and we are listening.’

“This government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, listens, understands, and is committed to transforming Nigeria into a country that works for young people. The President has demonstrated this commitment through significant interventions.

“For instance, he approved a substantial intervention fund of N683bn for public tertiary institutions for the 2024 cycle, aimed at improving the quality of education. The establishment of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund through the Access to Higher Education Act, 2024, provides interest-free loans to students pursuing higher education and vocational training.”

He assured the youth groups of government’s readiness to alleviate the plight of the youths, saying, “Let me assure you that the government is acutely aware of the issues raised by our youths and has been actively working on multiple fronts to address them.

“Several agricultural initiatives have been launched to combat hunger, boost local food production, and reduce import dependency. Recent measures by the President on import waivers for food are all part of a broader strategy to ensure that no Nigerian goes to bed hungry.

“Additionally, the government has invested in modern farming techniques and infrastructure to ensure farmers have the resources to increase yield and profitability. Your voice matters, and we are listening.”

Some of the representatives of the youth groups at the event included Ngou Matthew (North Central) and  Mohammed Ahmed (North East), among others.

On his part, the lawmaker representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Babajimi Benson, said peaceful protests are allowed in a democracy.

“I like peaceful protest, Dangote protested peacefully. Did he get the result? Yes. So, if we protest peacefully, Bola Tinubu has always expressed his love for peaceful protest. He was a chief protester at some point,” he said.

He however added that there are credible intelligence report suggesting a possible breakdown of law and order if the protests go on as planned.

“We have credible intelligence to show that some people would turn the good thing the youth want to do, which is constitutional, into something totally different. Some people want to riot and loot. We have seen that happen before.

“Even the President was once a victim of rioting. A television station was burnt, and journalists were there. They even tried to burn The Nation Newspaper. Anything could have happened,” he said.

Also speaking, the lawmaker representing Moba/Ilejemeje/Ido Osi Federal Constituency, Ekiti State,  Kolawole Akinlayo, urged Nigerians to keep with the Tinubu-led administration.

He said, “My appeal to the youth is to be patient with Mr President and that Mr President has very laudable programmes especially for the youths.

“They should please exercise patience more and see what will come after this period because every war ends on the round table.

“We should not use anger and destructive tendencies to destroy our nascent democracy.”