On Wednesday, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, met with ministers to discuss the intended nationwide protest against economic hardship by Nigerian youths.
The meeting was held behind closed doors, with nearly 40 ministers from the President’s cabinet in attendance.
Some of the ministers sighted are Nyesom Wike (FCT), Yusuf Tuggar (Foreign Affairs), Zephaniah Jisalo (Special Duties), Tahir Mamman (Education), and Abubakar Bagudu (Budget and Planning).
Others are Wale Edun (Finance), Mohammed Idris (Information), Bello Matawalle (Defence), David Umahi (Works), and National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, among others.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday urged Nigerians to postpone the scheduled ‘EndBadGovernance’ rally till next month.
The protest against economic hardship, which has gained pace on social media, is set to take place in all states of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in August. The protest organisers have not been identified.
Prices for food and basic goods have skyrocketed in recent months, as Nigerians grapple with one of the country’s biggest inflation and economic crises, triggered by the government’s dual policies of removing petrol subsidies and unifying forex windows.