Daniel Bwala, a former spokesperson for the Atiku Campaign Organization during the 2023 Presidential election, has criticized former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for supporting a proposed nationwide protest.
After meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Bwala addressed reporters, stating that the planned protest was unnecessary.
Bwala described the protest as politically motivated and urged opposition party members to look beyond politics and support President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to transform Nigeria’s economy.
He also encouraged Nigerians to give the President more time to achieve his goals for the country, emphasizing that the President is aware of the economic hardships facing the nation.
“I was delighted to meet with Mr. President today to show solidarity with him for his tireless efforts in addressing the problems confronting the Nigerian people,” Bwala said. “Mr. President is genuinely concerned about the plight of our people and is working hard to address them. Let us keep faith and hope alive, knowing that there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
While Bwala acknowledged the constitutional rights of people to carry out peaceful protests, he expressed concerns that the nationwide protest might not end peacefully.
He also revealed that he had officially left the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and planned to rejoin the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), where he was a member before joining the PDP in 2022.
Reports have emerged that youths are planning a nationwide protest between August 1 and 15 against the rising cost of living and economic hardship in the country. On Tuesday, Atiku Abubakar urged the Federal Government to allow Nigerians to exercise their constitutional rights to organize a peaceful protest.
He criticized the administration of President Bola Tinubu for attempting to suppress the protesters, calling it an “exercise in futility” and noting the irony that those stifling protest rights in 2024 had been protest leaders in 2012.