President Bola Tinubu has strongly criticized the sponsors of the planned nationwide protests, asserting that they do not have the country’s best interests at heart.
Tinubu speaking on Thursday at the Presidential Villa during a meeting with a delegation of Islamic leaders led by Sheikh Bala Lau, President Tinubu emphasized that the organizers of these protests hold alternative passports and conduct virtual meetings from various parts of the world.
In a statement released by presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu was quoted saying, “The sponsors of protests do not love our country. They have no love for the nation.
They do not understand citizenship. They have alternative passports. They are in different parts of the world holding meetings virtually. We do not want to turn Nigeria into Sudan.
We are talking about hunger, not burials. We have to be careful. We should be careful with premature politics; politics of hate, and anger.”
The President warned that protests driven by anger and hate could lead to violence and destabilize the nation. He urged caution against such actions, highlighting the importance of focusing on issues like hunger rather than resorting to divisive politics.
During the meeting, President Tinubu also addressed concerns regarding the ongoing economic reforms, reassuring that there is no manipulation by any interest group. He clarified that his presidential campaign was self-sponsored, with no debts owed to any individual or institution.
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“I have no cabal. I have no sponsors. The money I spent on the elections was my personal fortune. At some point, the odds were against me; banks were locked. But Allah, the Almighty God, said I will be the President. Mine is to now follow the leading and teaching of the Almighty God,” President Tinubu stated.
He emphasized the importance of a good conscience as a defense against corruption and stressed the need to focus on the future of the nation’s children, teaching them the values of good and responsible citizenship.
President Tinubu’s remarks come amid rising tensions and planned protests, highlighting the government’s stance on maintaining order and addressing the nation’s challenges through dialogue and reform rather than through potentially disruptive demonstrations.
