President Tinubu, Ulamas, Sultan, Ooni, NSA, IGP Hold Emergency Meeting Ahead of Planned Nationwide Protest

As the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest against economic hardship gains momentum on social media, President Bola Tinubu convened an emergency closed-door meeting on Thursday with key traditional rulers, top security officials, and governors from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The high-stakes meeting took place at the State House in Abuja, the nation’s capital. The APC governors, led by Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, were present alongside notable first-class traditional rulers such as the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, and the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Saad Abubakar III.

National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, ministers, and other members of the President’s cabinet also attended the meeting. A delegation of Islamic scholars (Ulamas) later joined the discussions.

In the lead-up to the protest, scheduled for August, the President, APC governors, and party leaders have urged Nigerians to cancel the planned demonstrations. Security forces have expressed concerns that the protest could be hijacked by malicious actors, leading to chaos similar to recent events in Kenya. The police have also issued warnings about potential violence, drawing parallels to the EndSARS protests of October 2020.

The planned protest, which aims to address the worsening economic conditions in Nigeria, has garnered significant attention across all states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Organizers of the protest remain anonymous.