- Former Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Ndume urged President Tinubu to listen to Nigerians’ concerns that prompted the planned nationwide protest
- Ndume expressed support for engaging in dialogue with protest leaders, emphasizing his constituents’ struggles in Gworza after recent attacks
Former Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Ali Ndume has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to heed the concerns of Nigerians that have sparked the planned protest. Ndume made this appeal during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today.
When asked to comment on the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero’s request for President Tinubu to engage in dialogue, Ndume expressed his support. He stated, “I second his motion. The NLC president moved that motion. Tell him I support his motion that the president should listen to Nigerians.”
Ndume highlighted the struggles faced by his constituents, particularly in Gworza, who were grappling with the aftermath of recent attacks. He emphasized their focus on survival and rebuilding rather than protesting. “We are 26 days away from the attack in Gworza. My people are struggling to go back to the farm; we are struggling to survive. We can see that the state government and other agencies are working to help us. We are dealing with this situation; we don’t have time to protest. To protest to who? I doubt if the protest will be held in Maiduguri. This is not to say people should not show their grievances.”
Expressing concerns about the potential for the protest to escalate, Ndume drew parallels to the EndSARS protests and the challenges of identifying protest leaders. “My fear is looking at what happened during the EndSARS protest. I hope it doesn’t get out of hand, especially when you can’t identify the leadership. That makes it more difficult. Even the labour union that went on strike several times now only sees them struggling to go on protest. But I don’t know who the faces are.”
Despite these concerns, Ndume voiced confidence in President Tinubu’s ability to address Nigeria’s issues given sufficient time. He acknowledged the global nature of economic challenges and urged the president to listen more to the people.
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