The Confederation of All Progressives Congress (APC) Support Groups (CASG) has called on Nigerians not to indulge in any uncoordinated nationwide protest that is capable of plunging the nation into chaos.
The Director-General of the group, Prof. Kailani Muhammad, made the call on Thursday at a news conference in Abuja.
Muhammad said, “We strongly stand against any ill-advised group of persons or individuals, to organise and stage a nationwide protest against the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, under any guise.
“This is because it is a distraction that is loaded with landmines.
“No nation in the world has survived an uncoordinated nationwide protest, because it will plunge the nation into chaos. Kenya is struggling to survive one. Nigeria cannot afford that experience at this critical moment.
“We have not forgotten the EndSars painful memory. Therefore, we should not indulge ourselves in an untimely protest that has the potential and attraction of being hijacked by hoodlums, political jobbers and losers.
“We have not forgotten the looting syndrome that normally charecterised protests in Nigeria.
“This is why the President, National Harmonised Association of Nigerian Traders, Bature Abdulazzez, categorically warned its members to stay away from the planned protest.
“After all, President Tinubu has a listening ear. In the wake of these, he has dispatched 20 trucks of rice to each of the 36 states, including Abuja, the Federal Capital of Nigeria.”
The director-general appealed to the state governors and the Minister of the FCT, to ensure that the commodity was not diverted to political cronies and relatives, but reached the down- trodden masses for which it was intended.
“We believe that President BolaTinubu is busy working round the clock, to see that other palliatives and frameworks to ease the unexpected hardship by the citizenry end in a short while.
“Hence, it becomes imperative that the dynamics of corporate engagement should be engaged, to attain socio- economic upliftment of the nation and its peoples, rather than embarking on a protest laded with land mines.
“I feel pained to address the press today, on issues that are lingering on the Nigerian political space, threatening to undermine the co- values of our political sojourn.”
According to him, first of all, let me emphatically, acknowledge the fact that the Nigerian state is going through a very harsh economic downturn.
“Secondly, is the factual development that the consequential manifestation of hardship, poverty as a result of soaring cost of living, has negatively devastated Nigerians of all stratums.
“To deviate from stating these obvious developments will be like shying away from my responsibility as an elder statesman, an All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart and friend of the masses.
“I genuinely accept, appreciate and sympathise with my fellow countrymen and women on these unfortunate scenarios, to wit: soaring prices of food items, services and goods across the country.”
“These happenings in Nigeria need synergic dialogue with Mr President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for a mutual template that can robustly ensure hasty remedies in terms of, not only on high food insecurity, but also on internal land, air, sea and the porous borders security of our dear country.”