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A northern group, the Arewa Progressives For Good Governance (APGG), has slammed the former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, over his support for the proposed nationwide protest against economic hardship.
Some Nigerians are gearing up to hit the streets in August to express their displeasure over the state of the nation's economy under President Bola Tinubu.
Social media has been abuzz in recent times about the proposed protest with many groups forming to mobilise citizen action across different states.
However, there have also been dissenting voices, who have canvassed for dialogue as a means to engage government officials in order to direct grievances to the right quarters.
Dalung joins call for nationwide protest
For his part, Dalung, a one-term minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari between 2015 and 2019, threw his weight behind the proposed protest.
In recent times, the Plateau State-born-political has dedicated his social media platforms to promoting anti-government rhetorics and revolutionary views.
While declaring his support for the upcoming nationwide protest, Dalung argued that “the rights of Nigerians to protest cannot be taken by executive fiat…”
The former minister also claimed that prominent personalities in the north, including former and serving senators and youth leaders have signed up to join the planned protest.
Arewa group counters Dalung
In its response contained in a statement signed by its Chairman, Malam Ibrahim Musa Bichi, APGG debunked Dalung's claim about prominent northern people joining the protest.
The group also said it would be unfair for any northerner to support a protest against Tinubu when they refused to take a similar action during Buhari's eight-year tenure.
It stated that “We understand the pains Nigerians are going through because of the current hardship caused by the withdrawal of Petroleum subsidy, but we can authoritatively say there will be light at the end of the dark tunnel.
“Any Northerner calling for protest against Tinubu’s Administration over economic hardship is not fair. Our son, former President Muhammadu Buhari was President for 8 years..but our Northern brothers kept quiet.”