Details have emerged from an emergency meeting held by Federal Government officials concerning the planned nationwide protest.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, addressed the media on Wednesday in Abuja, emphasizing that the government is not neglecting its duties and requesting more time from Nigerians. Idris referred to the planned protests as a “family matter” and assured that all issues would be resolved to maintain peace and stability in the country.
In a brief interview following the closed-door meeting, Idris stated, “We came together to discuss. You can see that this is not happening at the Council Chambers. It’s happening at the office of the SGF, and many of the ministers are here. We have discussed issues of national interest and all of us are working for Nigeria. We hope and believe that Nigeria is going to be great again.”
Idris acknowledged the concerns of those planning to protest, stating, “No one is going to sleep. Those who are agitating and asking for protests are Nigerians. They are our brothers, they are our sisters. They are all Nigerians and those in positions of authority; the ministers, the President, everybody, we are all Nigerians too. So, this is a family matter. This is a Nigerian family issue, and all of us are looking at this issue very well, and we hope that peace will prevail at the end of the day.”
When asked about the government’s engagement with the stakeholders and organizers of the planned protest, Idris confirmed that engagement has been ongoing. “This is not a peculiar situation. Engagement has been ongoing. The President has met several times with all key stakeholders. I have also been meeting with stakeholders, and other government functionaries have also been meeting with other key stakeholders. Engagement is going to continue, and in the interest of Nigeria, we will continue to engage. We know this is the only country that all of us have and at the end of the day, Nigeria is going to be better for all of us for it,” he stated.
