Members of the House of Representatives were engaged in urgent efforts on Wednesday to prevent a nationwide hardship protest scheduled to begin on Thursday.
For most of the day, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and several House members held marathon meetings with youth groups, urging them to reconsider the protest. Speaking at a town hall meeting with youth groups at the National Assembly, Abbas emphasized that protesting is not the solution to the country’s challenges.
“You have raised your voices, calling for an end to hunger, a reduction in the cost of living, an improvement in the minimum wage, and enhanced human capital development,” Abbas said. “These demands, though varied, converge on a single, powerful call for a better quality of life for all Nigerians.
“Our purpose today is not to intimidate, entice, buy off, or stifle your constitutionally enshrined powers of free expression. Rather, it is to create a formal avenue of regular engagement, ensuring that your voices are heard at the highest levels of government. My message to you today is that ‘your voice matters, and we are listening.’
“This government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, listens, understands, and is committed to transforming Nigeria into a country that works for young people. The President has demonstrated this commitment through significant interventions, such as approving a substantial intervention fund of ₦683 billion for public tertiary institutions in the 2024 cycle, aimed at improving the quality of education. The establishment of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund through the Access to Higher Education Act, 2024, also provides interest-free loans to students pursuing higher education and vocational training.”
Similarly, Babajimi Benson, the member representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency, expressed concerns about potential unrest if the protests proceed as planned.
“I support peaceful protest,” Benson said. “Dangote protested peacefully, and did he get results? Yes. If we protest peacefully, Bola Tinubu has always expressed his love for peaceful protest. He was a chief protester at some point. However, we have credible intelligence suggesting that some people may turn the good intentions of the youth into something totally different—riot and looting. We’ve seen that happen before.”
Kolawole Akinlayo, representing Moba/Ilejemeje/Ido Osi Federal Constituency in Ekiti State, also appealed for patience with the Bola Tinubu-led administration.
“They should please exercise patience and see what will come after this period because every war ends at the round table. We should not let anger and destructive tendencies destroy our nascent democracy,” Akinlayo urged.
