Nigerian lawmakers in a plenary session on Friday urged citizens not to follow Kenya’s example by taking to the streets.
They also recommended that the State Security Service invite the protest’s “instigators” for a dialogue.
For five weeks, Kenyans protested against a controversial tax hike bill. The demonstrations led to more than 50 deaths and many sustained injuries, prompting President William Ruto to undertake several measures to appease the public, including scrapping the budgets for the offices of the First and Second Lady, dissolving 47 state agencies, and dismissing his ministers.
The Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, at a plenary on Friday, said protesting like Kenyans youths did would not solve economic hardship in the country.
”The people of Nigeria, your crying is right. Your complaint of hardship is right. But is the solution found in carrying placards and lining the streets? Is the solution found in comparing a country less than us? The reference that has been made to Kenya and the rest of them, they are smaller countries to Nigeria. We are a giant of Africa, we must provide a solution that is better, sustainable and lasting,” Mr Kalu said.
In her contribution, Fatima Talba, representing Manger/Potiskum Federal Constituency, said that the SSS should invite instigators of the planned protest for dialogue.
“I believe there are people instigating this protest. There are people behind this protest. DSS must work hard to find and scout to get those instigating or the leaders of this protest so that we can have dialogue with them. Let’s talk to them. We know the anger is so very much. We have to do something about it,” Ms Talba said.
The House of Representatives session followed mobilisation for nationwide protests scheduled for August in response to the severe economic challenges since President Bola Tinubu took office.
Although economic hardship predated Mr Tinubu’s presidency, his policies, including the removal of the fuel subsidy and the decision to float the naira, had led to petrol price hike from N145 to N710 per litre, and the naira plunged to approximately N1,500 to the dollar.
While economic experts and the International Monetary Fund had praised the measures as courageous reforms, the resultant spike in food prices triggered protests in several states, including Niger, Osun, Ibadan, and Lagos, Tinubu’s home state.
Surveys conducted by the Peoples Gazette showed that food prices had soared by more than 100 per cent nationwide since Mr Tinubu’s inauguration on May 29, 2023.
Aside from distribution of trucks of rice to states by the federal government to ameliorate hunger, the minimum wage has been raised to N70,000 since mobilisation for the nationwide protest began.
