As part of efforts to douse tensions and chart a more peaceful strategy for addressing predisposing issues ahead of the looming national protest, Rising-Up for a United Nigeria (RUN) has urged Nigerians to jettison the idea of a protest and explore other options towards a peaceful resolution of the grievances of Nigerians
The National Convener of RUN, Ambassador Solomon Adodo who made the appeal during a live interview monitored during the Radio Nigeria Network News in the early hours of today, also revealed that plans have reached advanced stage to get Mr President and the Senate President to address interact with Nigerian youth with a view to listening to their grievances and crafting solutions together.
According to him, “Nigerians especially the youth and middle-aged citizens cannot afford to blindly go through a national protest without first of all exploring avenues for amicable resolution knowing fully well how it will end up affecting them.
“As a group, we have been actively engaging with the Executive and Legislative arms of government. As we speak, plans are almost at the concluding stage to have the Senate President to address Nigerian youth at this year’s International Youth Day on the 12th of August in Abuja.
“Mr. President has also indicated interest to dialogue with Nigerians as he has in the last few day engaged with different stakeholders across board with the view to preventing what many observers believe is a plot by opposition elements and even those within the ranks of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to discredit the current administration for their parochial interests.
Ambassador Adodo urged Nigerians to be patient and have faith in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu whom he described as a true patriot who’s brand of politics is visibly progressive and devoid of corruption and obsession with power.
“The current administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demonstrated an immense capacity to stir the country out of the accumulated mismanagement and hardship we are currently experiencing. Of course it’s easier to destroy than to build and Nigerians must give the current administration a little time to act.
“The new minimum wage which is more than a 100% increase in staff salaries as well as the consumer credit support scheme are truly milestones that have been unprecedented in the history of Nigeria. Mr. President heard the cries of organised labour and acted, he’ll still listen to us if we give him a chance and a platform for dialogue.
“Another first in the history of Nigeria, that deserves commendation is the student loan project which Mr. President graciously signed into law. Now our students can go to school without worrying about funds. How can the sane Nigerian youths who are beneficiaries of all these projects turn their backs against the President and stage a protest against him?
“It’ll indeed be unfair to protest against an adminstration that just yesterday, passed an Executive Order, mandating NNPCL to begin supplying crude to Dangote Refinery and other Modular refineries operating in Nigeria with payments in the naira. Apart from reducing the strain on forex, this will help to boost the local economy, create jobs and ensure the availability of petroleum products at affordable prices”, he added.
Adodo advised Nigerians especially the youths and middle-aged citizens who form the bulk of Nigeria’s demographics to “take advantage of the interventions in the Ministries of Trades and Investment, Sports and Youth Development and Agricultural to better themselves towards self employment and desist from becoming willing tools in the hands of misfits who are masquerading as patroits in other to set the country on fire”.
