Nationwide Protest May End in Unforeseen Circumstances – Presidency

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has cautioned organizers of a planned nationwide protest to be mindful of its potential outcomes, which may be unpredictable.

Mr. Onanuga has accused supporters of the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, of being behind the planned protest. While he acknowledges the democratic right to protest, he warns that such actions could be hijacked by those looking to cause disruptions.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Onanuga stated, “The people organizing this so-called nationwide protest are members of the Labour Party, they are Peter Obi supporters. That’s my take on it; it’s my opinion, and I won’t say more than this.”

When reminded of activist Omoyele Sowore’s stance that an unstoppable movement has begun, Onanuga reiterated his disinterest in the motivations behind the protest. “That is their problem; I am not interested in what they want to do. My point is that these are the people mobilizing for it,” he said.

Onanuga emphasized, “No one is saying you must not protest. Protest is legitimate in a democracy. The concern is that when a protest starts and is not well managed, its end cannot be predicted, similar to the EndSARS movement.”

He further clarified that the call for “revolution now” equates to a call for a coup d’état. “Anybody can protest; it’s within their rights. But they should understand the implications of what they are calling for,” he added.

Asked for evidence linking Peter Obi’s supporters to the protest, Onanuga responded, “Check their handles and see what they are posting. I conducted a content analysis of their posts as a journalist.”