TENSION ! Aso Rock SHAKES As Presidency Accuses Peter Obi’s Men Of Planning ‘Coup’ Against Tinubu
The political climate in Nigeria has taken a heated turn as the administration of President Bola Tinubu has accused supporters of Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’ s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, of orchestrating a massive nationwide protest.
The protest, known as ” Days of Rage, ” is set to commence on August 1, 2024, aiming to address worsening hunger, economic hardship, and perceived misgovernance under the current administration.
In a strongly worded statement, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, labeled the planned protest as a ” civilian coup. ” Onanuga specifically pointed fingers at Peter Obi’ s supporters, alleging that they are behind the agitation and should be held accountable for any ensuing unrest.
STRONG Accusations Against Peter Obi’ s Supporters
Onanuga’ s statement was unequivocal in its assertion that the protest was being driven by Peter Obi’ s followers. He stated, ” Don’ t be fooled: the malcontents planning to stage nationwide protests are supporters of Peter Obi, the failed presidential candidate of the Labour Party. And he should be held responsible for whatever crisis emanates from the action. ”
Onanuga went further to draw connections between the planned protest and the 2020 #EndSARS movement, a large- scale protest against police brutality in Nigeria. He alleged that the #EndSARS protest, which started as a legitimate expression of discontent, was later hijacked by elements of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and used to promote their separatist agenda. According to Onanuga, these same forces are now backing the ” Days of Rage” protest.
PRESIDENCY’ S Claims Of Propaganda And Anarchy
The Tinubu administration has characterized the protest as an attempt to destabilize the country. Onanuga’ s statement read, ” They are not democrats but anarchists. They are attempting to call out our people via propaganda because their Messiah, Peter Obi, failed to win the Presidency in the 2023 election. As bad losers, they don’ t have the patience to wait for another election in 2027; they would rather destabilise Nigeria by staging a civilian coup against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. ”
He emphasized that the protest’ s hashtags, such as ” EndBadGovernance, ” ” Tinubu Must Go, ” and ” Revolution2024, ” are calls for treason. Onanuga warned that these calls for a change in government outside the electoral process amount to high treason and should be taken seriously by security agencies.
SOCIAL Media And Mobilization For Protest Against President Tinubu’ s Government
Onanuga highlighted the role of social media in mobilizing support for the protest. He mentioned a faceless X (formerly Twitter) user with the handle PTM100. 88 Abuja, who has been active in promoting the protest and rallying followers. This user, according to Onanuga, is part of a network that includes prominent Labour Party figures and vocal supporters of Peter Obi.
The statement also mentioned other individuals allegedly involved in the planning, such as ” General Oluchi, ” a woman described as a ” Field Marshall of the Han Dynasty, ” and Mikael C. Bernard, who was accused of advocating for the devaluation of the naira and has a history of fraudulent activities.
FEDERAL Government’ s Response To Economic Challenges
The Tinubu administration has pointed to various measures it has taken to address the economic challenges facing Nigeria. These measures include increasing the minimum wage by over 100 percent, providing loans to students in tertiary institutions, launching a credit corporation to boost consumption credit, and distributing 740 trucks of rice to all states and Abuja as part of palliative measures.
Onanuga stated, ” The economy is improving, inflation is slowing, the national debt has been reduced in dollar terms, and the FIRS has increased revenue generation to record levels. Investors are coming back to our country. Our stock market is the best in the world, with a 33 percent return on investment. ”
He urged Nigerian citizens to consider these efforts and the government’ s concern about the cost of living crisis before deciding to join the protests. He stressed that the Tinubu government has a four- year mandate and that those calling for change should wait until the next election in 2027.
A Call For Patience And Stability
The Tinubu administration’ s stance is clear: protests aimed at ending the current government’ s tenure prematurely are seen as attempts to undermine democracy and destabilize the country. Onanuga’ s statement called for patience and adherence to democratic principles, urging Nigerians to allow the current administration to complete its mandate.
The upcoming ” Days of Rage” protest reflects deep- seated frustrations among segments of the Nigerian populace regarding economic conditions and governance. However, the government’ s portrayal of the protest as a civilian coup and the accusations against Peter Obi’ s supporters add a layer of political complexity to the situation.
As the scheduled protest date approaches, it remains to be seen how these tensions will unfold and what impact they will have on Nigeria’ s political and social landscape.
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