Opposition parties sponsoring protests against Tinubu administration, alleges APC

Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has claimed that protests held in some cities across the country on Monday were sponsored by opposition parties to portray the government as “underperforming”.

Ruling party spokesperson Felix Morka, in a statement on Tuesday, said the protests that took place in Niger and Kano states were instigated by the opposition.

Morka did not provide any evidence to support his claim and did not name the specific opposition parties behind the plot.

“In their desperate desperation to portray the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration as underperforming, opposition parties have resorted to instigating unsuspecting youths to protest on the streets of some major cities.

“Monday’s protests in Minna and Kano were the manifestation of this devious and unpatriotic plot. That the protests occurred simultaneously in both cities is not a coincidence,” Morka said.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that a large number of people came out en masse in Minna to protest the hardships in Nigeria caused by the rising cost of living occasioned by the slowdown in the economy.

The economic reforms undertaken by President Bola Tinubu have led to some negative economic impacts.

Morka also acknowledged the pains caused by the ongoing reforms and their unintended consequences, but still insisted that the protests had the “stamp of the opposition parties.”

“The President Bola Tinubu-led administration is solidly committed to doing everything in its power to mitigate the transitory pains of critically important reforms that are crucial to the economic recovery and sustainable prosperity of all Nigerians.

“It is up to us, as good citizens of our beloved country, to firmly support our government in this noble step. In due time, these political reforms will produce a beneficial and lasting transformation of the material conditions of life in the country.

“We implore Nigerians to shun the cunning and unpatriotic attempt by opposition elements to destabilize the country for their own base and parochial political gains,” the statement read in part.

Earlier, the House of Representatives held a special plenary session with the Governor of the Central Bank, Yemi Cardoso, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu and the President of the Government Federal of the Interior. Tax Service, Zacch Adedeji.

Several lawmakers from the ruling party also expressed concern about the impact of the ongoing reforms on citizens. However, the party blames opposition parties for the protests.