The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the opposition of instigating mass protests against President Bola Tinubu’s administration under the guise of protesting against the increasing cost of living in the country.
In a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, the APC said, in their arrant desperation to portray the APC-led administration as underperforming, “opposition parties have resorted to instigating unsuspecting young people to protest in the streets of some major cities.”
It said the protests in Minna and Kano on Monday were the manifestation of this devious and unpatriotic plot.
“That the protests happened simultaneously in both cities is not coincidental. It bears the bold stamp of an orchestrated and coordinated effort to instigate unrest and undermine the government. This mercenary opposition tactic is a clear and present threat to public peace and national security.
“While we recognize the right of citizens to engage in peaceful protest, we urge our good people to be vigilant and not lend themselves to the treacherous attempt by the opposition to promote social strife through its incendiary rhetoric and manipulative plots.
“The President Bola Tinubu-led administration is solidly committed to doing everything in its power to mitigate the transient pains of critically important reforms that are crucial to economic recovery and sustainable prosperity for all Nigerians.
“It behoves us as good citizens of our beloved country to stand fast with our government in this noble stride. In due time, these policy reforms will yield an enduring beneficial transformation of the material conditions of life in the country.
“We implore Nigerians to shun the guile and unpatriotic attempt by opposition elements to destabilize the country for their own base and parochial political gains,” said party spokesman Felix Morka.