Tinubu listens… speak to him through available channels, says aide

Abiodun Essiet, senior special assistant to the president on community engagement (north-central), has implored Nigerians to shelve the planned nationwide protest and dialogue with the government.

There have been reports of a planned nationwide protest from August 1-10 over the pervasive economic hardship.

Speaking in Abuja on the sidelines of the launch of Citizens’ Assembly, a platform for community engagement, Essiet said protests should always be a last resort.

She advised Nigerians to take advantage of the available channels to express their dissatisfaction with the policies and actions of the administration.

“Protest should be the last resort, especially when the government is not listening to the people,” she said.

“But Mr President listens. And so, my advice is that Nigerians should deliberately engage with the government through the established channels.

“One of the channels is the Citizens’ Assembly which was created to collectively tackle community problems and foster an inclusive society where every voice is heard.

“It offers structures across communities where residents can express their thoughts, share ideas, table pleas, and collaborate on lasting solutions to existing problems, while also planning proactively for future challenges.

“The Citizens’ Assembly provides a tremendous opportunity for citizen engagement, dialogue, collaboration, and peaceful resolution. It is committed to ensuring swift information dissemination, stakeholder engagement, project participation, and continuous deliberations for meaningful outcomes.”

Essiet said the assembly will help improve governance through strategic engagement and serve as a feedback mechanism for those in power.

She said over 5,000 young Nigerians are currently serving as volunteers, with at least one in each ward, across the six states in the north-central geopolitical zone and the federal capital territory (FCT).

She added that there will be subsequent launches in Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau in the coming weeks.