By Adadareporters
Ndigbo across the federation should not to participate in the planned hunger protests beginning on August 1, considering that they are always made victims of most national protests.
Ebubeagu Felix Okafor, Enugu State coordinator, APC National Coalition for Peace and Mobilisation, stated this on Tuesday during a programme monitored by our reporter in Enugu.
Okafor, although acknowledged that the extravagance in governance and lack of planning were behind the hunger in the country, said the protests were being instigated by some northerners because they are not in control of the central government.
According to him, “Whenever a southerner becomes the president of Nigeria, northerners would cry as if heavens have fallen. The planned August 1 protests have no clear motives. If you say bad governance, all political parties in government are culpable. There are allegations that some non-Nigerians are being mobilised to participate in the planned protests. Under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, there were protests, and some foreigners were alleged to have been imported. It is also alleged that when they were not settled properly, they unleashed their mayhem on Nigerians, with many Igbos becoming victims in some parts of the country.
“Under Buhari, there were no protests. Some people who feel the Tinubu administration does not favour them are engineering the protests. Good enough, Tinubu is a Muslim. Tinubu is a listening leader, and Nigerians should give his government more time.”
He recalled that during the 2023 elections, Ndigbo lost property in Lagos for exercising their freedom of voting.
He said “An Igbo leader was incarcerated for making a statement on the treatment meted to Ndigbo in Lagos as a result of the election. I believe protest is not a solution to our problem.”
He however blamed the Tinubu administration for its fuel subsidy policy without addressing the nation’s transportation system, including the rail sector, as well as making the agricultural sector conducive for all Nigerians.
