While speaking in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Friday morning at a BCOS “AM 120” magazine program, the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said that even if an angel comes to rule Nigeria, people will still complain.
According to the interview monitored by Daily Post, the President’s aide equally accused those who lost in the 2015 general elections and corrupt politicians as the brain behind the proposed anti-Buhari protest slated to hold on Monday, February 6th, adding that those who believed in free money while in government will also join the protest.
Recall that popular Nigerian musician, Innocent Idibia, a.k.a 2Face has concluded arrangements to mobilize Nigerians in a protest to kick against the inability of the present government to find solution to the plight of teeming Nigerians who are going through serious economic hardship occasioned by high inflation, shortage of food and other social problems.
Adesina, while answering questions from the anchors informed that Nigerians have right to protest but the police also have the right to deny them the permit so as to avoid crises, adding that those planning the protest were people who will always complain even, “if the angel come to rule”.
“In a democracy, protests are legitimate, also the security agencies have the right to ensure that they does not degenerate.
“The president is not home now, in Nigeria today you have a large number of people who seem not to forget that the 2015 elections have gone and have been won. The other group is the group that will always complain, even if angels come to rule Nigeria, they will always complain, they will complain.
“Then you have people who believes in free money, there is no more free money, those people will also join the protest.
“Genuine concern people have ways to protest, there are millions of people who are with the president, and I believed that the people who are with the president are more than those who are not with the president.
“If the concerns were genuine, once those who speak with the president once they said all is well, they should have to go and rest. When he returns to the country, will the rumour continue?”
He said the presence of social media which has been a tool for social mobilization has been abused by many Nigerians. “It depends on the way social media is being used. Social Media is a tool for social mobilization when used in good ways. Some people are using social media for malice.
“You must tell yourself I am going to be responsible, if they want to make legislation on social media now, people will say that it is tyranny.
“Change is both tangible and intangible, there are many ways that change is manifesting both tangible and intangible. There is less impunity now. So, you have intangible change, yes people are going through economic crises but yet things will turn around. We will exit recession this year, the world bank has said it, the government has said it.
“What people expect is that President Muhammadu Buhari will change things overnight, but the administration has a mandate of forty eight months, change is manifesting and it will continue gradually.”
Adesina said antagonism, malice and hatred is not the best option but the people should continue to cooperate with the government.
“Antagonism, hatred and malice is not an option for Nigerians to keep government on its toes, but good will, patience and cooperation with the government is the best option.
“What the people need is to cooperate with the government. Nigeria over decades turned itself into a mono economy, look at the country that is earning 3.5 billion dollars, but now it has reduce to about 190, what is happening in Venezuela is very hard, we don’t pray such thing will happened in Nigeria, things is gradually changing.”
