Hope Uzodimma, Governor of Imo State and Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, addressed the media at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on July 24, 2024. He stated that the government opposes the planned nationwide protests set for August, arguing that the timing is inappropriate given the current political and economic climate.
Governor Uzodimma highlighted the delicate state of the nation’s political environment, referencing the #EndSARS protests of 2020 as a cautionary example. He warned that similar demonstrations could be hijacked by criminal elements, exacerbating existing tensions and economic challenges.
“The Federal Government is taking actionable steps to mitigate the economic hardships faced by Nigerians,” Uzodimma said, urging citizens to consider the nation’s stability. “It’s too early in the administration’s term for protests, especially when the reasons behind them have not been clearly communicated.”
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The governor questioned the motives behind the protests, stressing the need for dialogue and understanding of the specific issues at hand. “If you are protesting, what do you want the government to do? Protests should aim to address specific concerns, but these have not been articulated,” he noted.
Uzodimma advised against actions that could “overheat the polity” and worsen the hardships caused by the global economic recession. “Let’s protect our environment and ensure that our actions do not further aggravate the situation,” he concluded.
