Seek Engagement With Federal Gov’t, ANPPD Tells Anti-Hunger Protest Organisers

The African Network for Peace, Progress and Development (ANPPD) has called on the organisers of the planned August 1 nationwide protest to meet with President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, to present their grievances before the federal government instead of the mass action.

A statement by the ANPPD President, Prince Elias Odoemena, said the recent Supreme Court judgement which ruled in favour of the separation of local government accounts from that of the state governments would go a long way in the development and progress of local communities in Nigeria.

Odoemena said with the judgement, some state governors who were fond of taking local government monies as ‘pocket money’ were not happy with the judgement.

He said the elected chairmen of various local government councils in the country would now know that it was no longer business as usual but time to think on how to add to the development of the local government areas they are in charge.

Odoemena, while commending President Tinubu, said that it would take a courageous President to separate local government accounts from that of the states, adding that previous presidents could not do it because of powerful position of the state governors.

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According to Prince Odoemena, the organisers of the August 1 protest should during the meeting with President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima, discuss how to resolve food crisis in the country as well as reduce petrol pump price and high electricity bills instead of taking to the streets.

He further acknowledged that Nigerians were suffering, pointing out that the looming protest would add more to their sufferings.

He, however, advocated that dialogue and not violence will resolve all issues.

Prince Odoemena said Nigerian students had suffered a lot as the result of prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and any protest now would affect their studies.

ANPPD also underscored the need to be mindful of hoodlums who might hijack the protest if the organisers went ahead with their plan on August 1.