Nigerian government has said it will not prevent people from registering their displeasure with the state of the nation through peaceful protests.
“This administration will not prevent Nigerians from expressing themselves in peaceful protests,” said Laolu Akande media aide to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Friday on Twitter. “Tt’s a fundamental right of the people.”
“We know that 2face does not have the capacity to contain such a crowd and we will not fold our hands and watch while things go out of hand,” he stressed.
2face had announced that he would call a ‘massive nationwide’ protest on February 5. He later postponed the planned mass action to February 6.
He said there was a “need for Nigerians to rise against what is happening in this country having waited patiently for the legislatures that were elected to represent the people all to no avail.”
“A call for good governance,” he said. “A call for urgent explanation into the reckless economic downturn nationwide. A call for nationwide protests as we say No to the Executive, No to legislatures, No to judiciary…. You have all failed us.”
But Akande said the government has been investing in social programmes aimed at easing off the suffering of millions of Nigerians, claiming that the level of such investment has never been seen in the country.
“No government has ever laid out the kind of Social Investment Programme the Buhari govt is now running across the nation that will touch millions,” he said.