Nigerian President Bola Tinubu says that he has heard the protesters “loud and clear” and called for dialogue and an immediate end to the nationwide protests that have rocked the nation since Thursday, August 1, 2024.
In his nationwide broadcast on Sunday, August 4, 2024, President Tinubu assured Nigerians that his administration was ready to listen to and address the concerns of the protesters.
“I hereby enjoin protesters and the organisers to suspend any further protest and create room for dialogue, which I have always acceded to at the slightest opportunity,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria requires all hands on deck and needs all citizens, regardless of age, party, tribe, religion or other divides, to work together in reshaping its common destiny.
Speaking on the loss of lives and destruction of property during the protests, Tinubu said: “I am especially pained by the loss of lives in Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and other states, the destruction of public facilities in some states, and the wanton looting of supermarkets and shops, contrary to the promise of protest organisers that the protest would be peaceful across the country. The destruction of properties sets us back as a nation, as scarce resources will be again used to restore them.
“I commiserate with the families and relations of those who have died in the protests. We must stop further bloodshed, violence and destruction.
“As President of this country, I must ensure public order. In line with my constitutional oath to protect the lives and property of every citizen, our government will not stand idly by and allow a few with a clear political agenda to tear this nation apart.”
Some of the demands of the protesters include combating insecurity and hunger, total electoral reform, independent probe into the electoral budget of N355 billion, immediate release of ENDSARS protesters still in detention, compulsory free education from primary to secondary school, patronage of made-in-Nigeria goods and addressing Nigerians on the state of the nation among others.
Although the address of President Tinubu failed to address most of the demands of the protesters since it concentrated more on listing some of the programmes of his administration in the last 16 months, he, however, stated that “Nigeria requires all hands on deck and needs us all – regardless of age, party, tribe, religion or other divides, to work together in reshaping our destiny as a nation.”
GIK/APA