Governors from Nigeria’s 36 states met overnight to deliberate and take a position on the nationwide protest scheduled for August 1.
The governors’ meeting held under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) took place at the forum’s secretariat in Abuja.
The meeting, which began around 8 pm on Wednesday ended in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Organisers of the protests said the planned rallies are in response to governance issues and the rising cost of living, which have been major concerns for Nigerians.
Notable attendees included Governors Lawal Dauda of Zamfara, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, and Alex Otti of Abia.
Deputies represented the governors of Enugu and Borno States.
In a communiqué released after the meeting, NGF Chairman and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said the meeting featured a briefing from the National Security Adviser’s (NSA) office, which highlighted the increasing momentum for planned protests demanding government action on various issues.
“The NGF received a briefing from the NSA on the current security situation in the country,” the communiqué stated.
“The NSA noted the growing momentum for a planned protest demanding government attention. The NSA is committed to supporting the governors in improving security architecture at the subnational level.”
The governors expressed their gratitude for the NSA’s support and reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing security for citizens and property in their states.
Earlier, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, had met with ministers regarding the protests.
This meeting follows President Bola Tinubu’s public appeal through Information Minister Mohammed Idris Malagi, urging citizens to be patient and calling for the postponement of the protests.
The Federal Government has acknowledged the grievances expressed by the public and emphasised ongoing efforts to address the issues.
The government has also introduced measures such as suspending taxes on certain food imports and passing a new national minimum wage law to alleviate the economic burden on citizens.
Lawmakers have pledged to cut their salaries by half to support social intervention projects.
Despite these measures, human rights activists and citizens remain sceptical, highlighting longstanding issues of bad governance, economic policies, and security concerns.
The planned protests draw parallels to recent demonstrations in Kenya, which resulted in significant political changes.
