The Bola Tinubu administration has labeled the planned nationwide protests against bad governance, scheduled to begin on August 1, 2024, as a “civilian coup” attempt.
The government claims that supporters of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, are behind the upcoming “Days of Rage” protests, aimed at addressing issues such as hunger, economic hardship, and misgovernance.
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Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, issued a statement accusing Peter Obi’s supporters of inciting chaos.
Onanuga 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.”
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Onanuga also linked the current protest planners to the organizers of the #EndSARS movement in October 2020, which began as a protest against police brutality but was allegedly hijacked by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
He claimed that the same individuals, now supporters of Peter Obi, are spreading hashtags such as #EndBadGovernance, #TinubuMustGo, and #Revolution2024.
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Onanuga accused the protesters of seeking to destabilize Nigeria due to their dissatisfaction with the election results.
He warned that their actions could be seen as treasonous, saying, “wanting to end an elected government is high treason. Wanting revolution is a call for a coup d’etat, which is also high treason.”
The statement further highlighted several individuals allegedly involved in promoting the protests, including an anonymous internet radio host and other social media users who support Peter Obi.
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Onanuga urged security agents to investigate these “agents of destabilisation.”
The Tinubu administration emphasized its efforts to address economic challenges, including raising the minimum wage, disbursing student loans, distributing palliatives, and investing in agriculture.
Onanuga concluded by calling on Nigerian citizens to consider the government’s efforts and wait for the next election in 2027 to seek any change in leadership.
“President Tinubu has a four-year mandate to run his agenda. Those calling for protest should wait till 2027 to either re-elect him or elect their Messiah, Mr Peter Obi,” the statement read.
