Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has outlined steps President Bola Tinubu can take to alleviate the tension caused by the #EndBadGovernance protest sweeping the nation.
In a statement on X Thursday, Omokri noted that protests in Nigeria often become opportunities for looters, urging the president to address the nation urgently.
“Protests in a country like Nigeria are often an economic opportunity for looters and others who want to cash out from a state of tension. To nip this in the bud, I urge President Tinubu to either call a National Council of State meeting, make a national broadcast, or even do both,” he said.
Omokri suggested that Tinubu could make some concessions by reducing his salary and those of his cabinet members, as well as cutting down on government convoys to reduce the cost of governance.
He also recommended temporarily reinstating the electricity subsidy and granting a year-long tax holiday for workers earning minimum wage to alleviate their burdens.
“To show that the president feels the people’s pains, perhaps he can make some concessions by temporarily returning the electricity subsidy for six months. Not fuel subsidy, the subsidy on power. That will ease the burdens of Nigerians and show that we have a listening president. Finally, the president may want to grant a year’s tax holiday to every person earning minimum wage to give them room to adjust to the changes in our economy,” Omokri said.
However, Omokri emphasised that inaction is not an option, stating, “Doing nothing at the presidential level is the worst strategy. History will forgive a leader who makes the wrong decision, but not the one who takes no action.”
