By Mercy Aikoye
Barely 72 hours to the nationwide mass protest against economic hardship in the country, the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Governorship Candidate in the last election in Kogi State, Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka has urged citizens to exercise restraint and patience to allow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the nation’s multifaceted challenges rather than embarking on unproductive mass protest
In a statement made available to news men in Abuja on Sunday, Ajaka stated that President Tinubu with his wealth of experience was already on track in the bid to fix the nation to make it work again and as such he should not be distracted but rather should be encouraged to deliver his mandate to the nation
He however tasked President Tinubu to immediately rejig his cabinet so as to inject fresh blood into the administration for him to faithfuly implement his laudable policies to the nation
Muri also urged the President to caution some of his aides against making unguarded utterances on sensitive issues , saying that some of them should be immediately relieved of their Offices for the President to connect with the citizens
The statement titled, “My Stand on the Planned Nationwide Protest” reads. ” Today, I would like to lend my voice regarding the planned nationwide protest by Nigerian youths in response to the high cost of living that many of us are currently facing.
‘While I understand and empathize with the frustrations and hardships we are going through, embarking on a protest may not be the right decision for our country right now. More often than not, peaceful protests end up in violence and destruction of public & private properties.
“We need to remember that we are a resilient and united nation. We have faced numerous challenges in the past, and we have always come out stronger when we stand together.
” Instead of resorting to a protest that has the potential of turning violent. Let us exercise restraint and patience, giving our President , Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinuthe time and opportunity to address the issues at hand. We believe in his capacity to deliver and I believe he will.
” I acknowledge that the high cost of living is a pressing concern for all of us, and it is only natural to want immediate solutions. However, change takes time, especially when it comes to implementing long-term reforms that will have a lasting impact.
” We must trust in our President’s commitment to fixing our country and give him the chance to address these challenges., he is on course, we should not distract his attention
” However, I want to trust that the President will consider reshuffling his cabinet in the near future and bring fresh ideas and people who will key in his renewed hope. This could bring fresh perspectives and renewed energy to his administration, allowing for greater progress and development.
“More so, I would like to advise the President to caution or suspend his Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga who is bent on creating enemies for the president than friends due to his utterances on social media. It is no secret that our country is going through a period of immense economic hardship.
