Prices of foodstuff have again gone up in major markets across the country as Nigerians engaged in panic buying in a bid to stock their homes before the planned nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest begin Thursday
This comes as last-ditch moves by the Federal Government to stop the protest failed to arrest the momentum generated by the organisers, who insisted the protest would go on as planned.
The protest organisers want an improvement in the soaring cost of living and a reversal of some harsh government policies, particularly the removal of petrol subsidy.
The subsidy removal, along with ongoing security issues in farming regions, has led to increased transportation costs and subsequent food inflation.
In a late rally to stop the demonstration, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Wednesday, addressed an emergency press conference where he again admonished Nigerians to shun the proposed protest.
Other top officials also pleaded for the suspension of the protest, including the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Atiku Bagudu (Budget and Planning), Wale Edun (Economy) and presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, among others.
They reeled out all the people-oriented policies and programmes implemented by the Tinubu government and sought the understanding of Nigerians.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, also invited journalists for an urgent press conference at the force headquarters.
Also, the National Assembly held a plenary on Wednesday after cutting its recess short.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, addressed youths at a hastily convened town hall meeting at the National Assembly Complex, where he reiterated his appeal to the protest organisers to embrace dialogue with the Federal Government to find solutions to the hardship in the country.
The SGF in his remarks said the government recognised the right to protest but was wary of the planned protests being hijacked “by bandits, insurgents and other criminals.”
