The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused opposition political parties of masterminding the mass protests that rocked Niger and Kano States on Monday over the rising cost of living.
The party in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka alleged that the coordinated nature of the mass protests bears a bold stamp of an orchestrated and coordinated effort to instigate unrest and undermine the government.
Protesters on Monday morning blocked the ever-busy Bida Road, Kpakungun in Minna brandishing placards with inscriptions like: “No food, we are dying of hunger“; “reduce fuel price” and “Help us, let us get food cheaper.”
Some major streets in Kano were also taken over by mostly youths protesting the soaring prices of foodstuff, particularly rice, maize, beans and millet.
Appealing for understanding, Morka said the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration was committed to doing everything in its power to mitigate the transient pains of critically important reforms that are crucial to economic recovery and sustainable prosperity for all Nigerians.
He advised Nigerians to ignore what he termed the guile and unpatriotic attempt by opposition elements to destabilize the country for their selfish interest.
According to to APC spokesman: “In its arrant desperation to portray the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration as under-performing, opposition parties have resorted to instigating unsuspecting young people to protests in the streets of some major cities.
“The protests in Minna and Kano on Monday were the manifestation of this devious and unpatriotic plot. That the protests happened simultaneously in both cities is not coincidental. It bears the bold stamp of an orchestrated and coordinated effort to instigate unrest and undermine the government. This mercenary opposition tactic is a clear and present threat to public peace and national security.
“While we recognize the right of citizens to engage in peaceful protest, we urge our good people to be vigilant and not lend themselves to the treacherous attempt by the opposition to promote social strife by its incendiary rhetoric and manipulative plots.
“The President Bola Tinubu-led administration is solidly committed to doing everything in its power to mitigate the transient pains of critically important reforms that are crucial to economic recovery and sustainable prosperity for all Nigerians. It behoves us as good citizens of our beloved country to stand fast with our government in this noble stride. In due time, these policy reforms will yield an enduring beneficial transformation of the material conditions of life in the country.
“We implore Nigerians to shun the guile and unpatriotic attempt by opposition elements to destabilize the country for their base and parochial political gains.”
