Economic hardship: It’s dishonest of APC to blame opposition for protests, says Lukman

Salihu Lukman, a former vice-chair of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the north-west, says it is dishonest of his party to blame the opposition for the recent protests in Niger and Kano states. 

On Monday, protests over the rising cost of living and food inflation, disrupted commercial activities and compounded traffic in both states.

Thereafter, Felix Morka, spokesperson of the APC, accused opposition political parties of sponsoring the protests.

In a statement on Wednesday, Lukman said the ruling party is no longer pretending to be progressive.

“The protests in Minna and Kano confirm the validity of the concerns raised as far back as August 2023,” he said.

“Sadly, six months after those concerns were raised, the situation is only getting worse as prices of food items are beyond the reach of most Nigerians.

“If the truth must be told, there is hunger in the land! As a committed member of APC, it is very depressing that this is happening under the leadership of our party.

“Even more depressing was the statement issued by Mr. Felix Morka, our National Publicity Secretary, alleging that opposition parties are behind the protests.

“For Mr. Morka to issue such a very dishonest statement points to only one thing: that the leadership of our party have completely lost it and at this rate their political utility value is zero.

“This clearly suggests that even the old pretenses about being progressive have been thrown to the dogs.”

Lukman said “floating” the naira without stopping unnecessary imports has led the country to where it is.

“Floating the naira against other major currencies without taking the needed steps to reduce imports will also produce what we have today, whereby the value of the naira is permanently on a downward slide,” he said.

“Once the government is unable to settle these issues, it is predictable that the cost of living will continue to go up.

“Once prices of necessities are beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians, citizens will respond in the streets to compel our leaders to do the needful.

“This is the value of democracy.”

The APC chieftain said maybe protests would compel the Bola Tinubu administration to focus on the real issues.