Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum and Governor of Imo State, Governor Hope Uzodimma, emphasized Nigerians’ right to protest against grievances while cautioning against premature protests targeting President Bola Tinubu’s government.
This statement came following his visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday, where he introduced former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim to the President, following Anyim’s recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Currently, the federal government is urging Nigerians against planned protests over the country’s escalating cost of living.
Uzodimma, addressing reporters after the meeting, noted that organizers of these protests have not clearly articulated their motivations.
He highlighted the fragile political climate, warning that poorly managed protests could destabilize the country.
Governor Uzodimma underscored, “Democracy allows for the expression of public opinion, including through protests.”
“Every protest must be reasonably conceived to be able to make political sense.
“I think it’s too early at this time in the life of this government for anybody to come out to say he wants to protest.
“First of all, there has not been any engagement where those who are sponsoring the protest were able to tell us the reasons for the protests. “Secondly, given the global situation today and the insecurity in the country, we have a very fragile political environment that if not managed and protected very well, may collapse the entire country.
“So, those who are going to protest, what is the reason for the protests? And if they have no reason for the protests, I think I will advise, well-meaning Nigerians, citizens of this country who are making sacrifices, some of us have paid the supreme price for the existence of this country, we should guide our country very jealously.
“I think it is wrong time for anybody to do any protests because the implication of doing that, if care is not taken, is that it may be hijacked, like the #EndSARS experience where criminals now hijacked an innocently conceived agitation by young Nigerians.
“So, this is another kind of temptation that I think those behind the protests because they have not been able to come out openly to say they’re behind it, there is a motive that is yet to be unravelled.
“So, I think that we are not in support of the protest, we are not going to support any protest that has no programme, that is not discussed that nobody knows what the problem is. “Okay, if you are protesting, what do you want government to do? Because the reason for protests is that they want an issue to be addressed. What are the issues?
“So, in my view, I think there is no need to overheat the polity, overheat our environment and put our people in a position that the hardship that is occasioned by economic recession all over the world is further worsened. So, I advise against the protests.”
Uzodimma also spoke on the defection of Ayim to the APC and his presentation to the president.
Anyim, who was the secretary to the government of the federation under President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
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The former senate president had in March 2023 signalled that his days in the main opposition were over when he directed his supporters in his home state, Ebonyi to vote for Francis Nwifuru who was then the gubernatorial candidate of the APC.
Accompanied by the Ebonyi governor, Nwifuru, Uzodinma described Anyim as a big fish and his presence a big plus for the ruling party.
He said: “We have started harvesting from it. If you recall, only few days ago, there was a local government election in Ebonyi State. And in that election, it was like a one-party movement. The entire local governments and councils were won by All Progressive Congress.
“The party that used to be the strong opposition party, PDP, were not anywhere to be seen. And majority of the leaders already decamped to APC and they voted one way.
“So, in the same manner, because democracy is about the people, when the people are now unanimously agreeing that government is doing well, and a political party is doing well, and they’re all collapsing into that political party, what is the remaining is to address the campaign of calumny, arising from the propaganda of the opposition, which most of us here are used to.”
He explained the reason for being the former senate president to the villa:“We are here to first thank the President for all the support that’s given to the people of South East and as the leader of our party of All Progressives Congress, to formally inform him that the former Senate President, Ayim Pius Ayim, distinguished senator standing by me, has family joined All Progressive Congress and is now part of the bigger political family in the country. And we are excited about it as a zone“
Speaking on his defection from the PDP, Anyim cited the example of the main opposition party members who have joined the APC.
He said: “Can you look back at the history of PDP and tell me how many leaders PDP has produced that had joined APC or another party at any particular point in time? It’s common. “But importantly, I have a determination to be sure that the country moves on the right path and I should be available to contribute my quota.”
Asked if he could not have contributed his quota from the opposition party, Anyim said: “Contributing quota does not necessarily mean to work but to engender a conducive atmosphere for progress.
“I’m not looking for work, but there is need that given the challenges the country is facing today that we all need to put all the hands on deck to make the country move forward.”
On his interests in APC, the former President of the Senate said: “Certainly, the country is passing through turbulent times and it is the duty of every patriot, if you have nothing to add, ensure that you contribute to the peaceful atmosphere that will engender progress in the country.”