APC knocks PDP govs, military mobilises against mass protest
The ruling All Progressives Congress, on Thursday, knocked governors elected on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party for blaming President Bola Tinubu and his predecessor for destroying the country’s economy and institutions built during the 16-year reign of the PDP.
This was as the military, on Thursday, geared up to crush a mass anti-government protest being planned for August 1.
The 13 PDP governors had, in a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting in Enugu on Wednesday, condemned the ruling government’s economic policies, which they said had led to widespread hardship among Nigerians.
The Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, presented their position after the four-hour meeting.
Mohammed stated that after thorough discussions and consultations, the PDP Governors’ Forum expressed “profound dismay and grave concern” over the mismanagement of the economy by the APC-led Federal Government.
The governors further urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to take immediate action to restore the nation’s former glory.
They lamented the significant progress made during the 16 years of PDP leadership – including single-digit inflation, establishment of anti-corruption institutions, and improved standards of living – had been eroded under the APC-led government.
However, reacting in a statement on Thursday, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said the opposition party deserved to cover its face in shame over the rot it accommodated during the 16 ‘inglorious’ years it ruled Nigeria.
The statement was titled: ‘PDP governors – barefaced heirs of a legacy of sleaze and ruin’.
The ruling party said, “It is a sad irony that PDP governors who congregated to discuss the newly won financial autonomy of local governments, the most remarkable breakthrough in democratic transformation in our country since 1999, ended their meeting pointing their scabby political fingers at the APC government that accomplished a reform that the PDP did not and could not initiate, let alone deliver, in all of its desolate 16 years in government.
“By their statement, it is now obvious that the PDP governors lack understanding of their place and responsibility in our system of government. They do not understand the seriousness of the responsibility they bear as chief executives of their states to justify the resources at their disposal to build and bolster their domestic economies for the good of their people.
“The same PDP governors, many of whom have failed to pay legal minimum wage to their workers, hurdled together, without any sense of shame, to accuse the President Bola Tinubu-led administration of delay in approving a new minimum wage for workers. These are the same governors that, only a few weeks ago, publicly proclaimed their inability to pay the proposed new minimum wage due to their workers.”
Continuing, Morka emphasised that with the N70,000 new minimum wage agreed on Thursday, President Tinubu had further shown Nigerians voted for him at the last election.
According to him, it is becoming clear that the ongoing reforms in the country have started yielding the desired results.
“Nigerians do not need to be reminded of the PDP’s inglorious 16 years of odious rule during which the party built nothing that can be remembered or destroyed. The APC-led administration has only saddled itself with fixing the PDP’s mess and institutionalized debilitating corruption of nearly two decades,” Morka said.
Military, police move against protests
The military and the Nigeria Police Force are gearing up for nationwide protests in response to the widespread hardship gripping the country
This comes in the wake of a public declaration by several groups announcing their intention to launch a nationwide protest against the ongoing hardship in the country.
An internal memo from the Nigerian Air Force dated July 15 but sighted by our correspondent on Thursday urged unit commanders to place a ban on leaves and passes.
It partly read, “Intelligence suggests likely nationwide protests and breakdown of law and order due to unresolved issues of minimum wage, hence, the need to emplace strict security measures across all units.
“Accordingly, unit commanders are to enforce a ban on all leaves and passes immediately. Furthermore, commanders are to review and forward complaints against violent protests. commanders are to monitor and forward situation reports daily to acquit all personnel with complaints.”
Commanders were also asked to train personnel on crowd dispersal scenarios in line with the rules of engagement.
When contacted, NAF spokesperson, Air Vice Marshal, Edward Gabkwet, questioned whether implementing such a ban to protect the lives and properties of law-abiding citizens was a bad action.
He said, “Ban on passes or non-essential travels is nothing unusual for any organisation, including the NAF. Such bans can emanate from units under the NAF or from the Hq for reasons best suited for such bans. If a ban is aimed at ensuring personnel are readily available to safeguard the lives and property of law-abiding civilians, what then is wrong with that?”
A top source in the military told our correspondent that as part of preparation for the protests, the military also took similar steps.
The source said, “The military also called back everyone from leave and passes. It’s a normal thing in the military. For now, passes and leave have been suspended till further notice.”
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, did not pick up several calls to his line and had yet to respond to a message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.
Speaking on the preparation of the police, the Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, urged the protesters to go about their activities peacefully.
He added that closing major highways, and airports and shutting down critical national assets like the national grid would not be condoned.
Adejobi said, “You know, protest is part of democracy, and people have the right to protest. The police are not against that. What we are always mindful of is the aftermath of some of our protests in Nigeria. We are not asking anybody to come for permission or any permit.
“But one thing they should take note of is any protest that leads to violence, that leading to the destruction of property, losing lives, will not be seen as a protest. Rather, it will be seen as a sort of violence.”
He urged the organisers of the protest to work with the police to give them the needed protection and forestall the breakdown of law and order.
Adejobi said, “So, we want to encourage those who are planning to organise peaceful protests. To take note of this. If the protest is peaceful, there is no problem.
“I know that every big city in Nigeria has its designated place for such a protest. It should always be coordinated. They should know that it’s good for them to work with the police, and let them be on the same page so that the police can even protect them to do the protest they want to do. So whatever protest we want to do will be strictly peaceful, as the name implies.
“But anything short of this will be seen as an act of violence, and I think no responsible government would like that. No responsible security agent will fold his arms to see a country running down due to the underwork of certain individuals who want to run down the government. Remember, EndSARS is still fresh in our memories.”
