In a strongly worded statement, the Bola Tinubu administration has accused supporters of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, of sponsoring planned nationwide protests against economic hardship.
President Tinubu, through his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, warned that the demonstrations could lead to anarchy, stating that Obi should be held accountable for any resulting crisis.
Onanuga, without providing evidence, further alleged that the protest organizers are the same individuals involved in the 2020 ENDSARS protests, which he claimed were infiltrated by separatist elements. He asserted that these individuals later joined the Labour Party to support Obi in the 2023 election.
The presidential aide claimed that the protest, promoted on social media with hashtags such as ‘EndBadGovernance’ and ‘Tinubu Must Go,’ is an attempt to destabilize Nigeria due to Obi’s loss in the last presidential election. Onanuga described the organizers as “anarchists” rather than democrats, accusing them of attempting a “civilian coup” against President Tinubu.
He identified several social media accounts he claimed are linked to the protest, including an anonymous user operating an internet radio station and individuals he describes as “rabid Obi supporters.” Onanuga called on security agencies to investigate the alleged organizers, arguing that many countries face economic challenges and that the appropriate response in a democracy is to wait for the next election to change a government rather than incite unrest.
“If they understand the meaning of their hashtags, they will realize they are clarion calls for treason. 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 partly reads.
Onanuga also singled out an anonymous user with an internet radio station, PTM100.88 Abuja, and other individuals including FS Yusuf, Professor Pat Utomi, and a user with the pseudonym “Peter Obi’s First Son” for promoting the protests.
In the past 24 hours, this faceless X user has been whipping up the gullible to join the protest being planned and also posting the activities of his Messiah, Peter Obi. He retweets Peter Obi often,” Onanuga stated.
He further alleged that a teenager in the North is printing T-shirts emblazoned with “EndBadGovernance in Nigeria 2024,” and highlighted retweeted posts by Babatunde Gbadamosi and a user known as “General Oluchi,” who has been sending out letters of mobilization.
Onanuga called for security agents to interrogate these “agents of destabilization,” emphasizing that civilized and democratic people wait for elections to make leadership changes rather than triggering mayhem through protests.
He urged Nigerian citizens to consider the government’s efforts to address the cost of living crisis when deciding whether to join the protests. Onanuga highlighted several government measures, including a more than 100 percent increase in the minimum wage, student loans, a credit corporation, palliative measures, and heavy investments in agriculture.
“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,” Onanuga added.
He concluded by stating that President Tinubu has a four-year mandate to run his agenda and that those calling for protests should wait until 2027 to either re-elect him or elect their “Messiah,” Mr. Peter Obi.
