Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States, His Eminence, Alhaji Dawud Makanjuola Akinola, has urged organisers of the #EndBadGovernance protest to shelve the protest.
He called on the organisers to rather engage in a dialogue and constructive discussions with the Federal Government in order to guard against breakdown of law and order.
The Aare Musulumi, who also doubles as the Aare Of Ibadanland, made the appeal in a release dated 29 July, 2024 and made available in Ibadan.
The nationwide protest against the current hardships across the country is planned to take effect from Thursday.
This is as government at all levels and other critical stakeholders are seeking ways to avert breakdown of law and order that may arise from the protest.
The prominent Islamic leader stated that the protest could be hijacked by hoodlums and thus end up defeating its purpose.
The Aare Musulumi noted that the right to protest is guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and in most democracies around the world.
He, however, said one needed to take caution to avoid a situation where the agitation can be hijacked by hoodlums and which may eventually lead to violence and anarchy.
“It is an open secret that there is economic hardship across the country and I sincerely empathise with the frustration that most Nigerians are passing through.
“But I wish to call on the organisers of the #EndBadGovernance protest to exercise more patience and allow the Federal Government more time to find lasting solutions to the present economic situation,” he stated.
Alhaji Akinola however charged political office holders at all levels to always display high level of prudency and transparency in their official programmes and activities.
Doing this, he said, became necessary in order to ensure rapid economic recovery for the betterment of the populace.
He also called on the Federal Government to urgently re-strategise in order to put an end to banditry, kidnappings and senseless killings in various parts of the country.
“There is need for immediate implementation of the recently-approved new national minimum wage. This is in order to improve the living conditions of Nigerian workers and to also provide relief to struggling families,” he added.
The Aare Musulumi also enjoined Islamic and Christian clerics across the country not to relent in their prayers for President Bola Tinubu, state governors and their teams so as to ensure quick economic recovery.
