In a bid to stave off the planned nationwide protests scheduled for August 1, the House of Representatives minority caucus on Wednesday advised the Federal Government to hold talks with would-be protesters.
The goal of such talks would be to identify and resolve the fundamental issues driving the protests, as well as find a lasting solution.
The minority caucus issued the call to action as part of its resolutions adopted during a special meeting and dinner held in Abuja on Tuesday evening.
According to Persecondnews, the upcoming protest, which is set to take place from August 1 to 10, is a unified response by various groups and individuals to the country’s economic situation.
In a statement on Wednesday, the media team of the minority caucus quoted its chairman, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, as appealing to the organizers of the planned protest to reconsider their plans, given the alarming state of security in the country.
He said: “We appeal to the government to dialogue with the planned protesters and also look at some of the messages they are raising and the critical areas that need government intervention.
“The government should intervene and ensure that issues are resolved amicably.
“We are not going to encourage any protesters because, in the past, we observed in most cases that even peaceful protests have been overtaken by hoodlums, and with the insecurity situation in some parts of the country, you may not have control over the gathering of people.
“So some unscrupulous people may use the opportunity to create chaos.”
Chinda also urged the Federal Government to employ a more diplomatic and non-violent strategy in addressing the country’s security issues.
He said: “We acknowledge and observe the insecurity situation in the country, and we call on the government to use carrot and stick by ensuring that the result is seen.
“Let all the security chiefs do what is right to ensure that Nigerians are protected. We also acknowledged in our discussion that there is hunger in the land, and we appeal to the government not only to be giving palliatives but to create ways and means whereby people can be self-reliance.
“Basically, the main purpose of our gathering was just to have an end-of-year dinner. We felt it is important to organise a dinner and thank all our members for giving us the necessary support.”