A frontline aspirant for the office of the Director-General of the Amalgamated APC Support Groups, (AASG) Alhaji Salman Akorede, has cautioned the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, against setting the nation on fire over the planned nationwide protests.
In a statement in Abuja on Saturday, Salman urged the labour leaders to make the survival of Nigeria of paramount importance, and opt for other lesser confrontational actions.
He said what was needed at the moment was for all patriotic Nigerians to put the interest of Nigeria first in whatever actions they may wish to take in making demands from the government.
According to him, a more subtle approach and negotiation with the government would have yielded better results for everyone, as against embarking on street protests that could be hijacked by hoodlums to cause mayhem and inflict injuries on already traumatised Nigerians.
The APC leader appealed to organised labour to exercise maximum restraint in the manner the protests are handled, if it must proceed with its plan, given the very fragile security situation in the country. He advised the NLC to toe the line of further negotiation with the FG.
He, however, pleaded with the government to double efforts in tackling the prevailing economic hardships that are pushing the people to the streets.
According to him, rather than continue to dole out huge resources to the state governors, a more impactful and result oriented way of ameliorating the pains of the economic reforms on the people should be worked out.
He suggested that one of the most effective ways to reach out to the people with government interventions, was for the government to consider using existing channels through the support groups to deliver palliatives to the people at the grassroots since these support groups that delivered victory to the Party are in every nook and cranny of the Federation.
He noted that the APC support groups are found in each of the 176,974 polling units in Nigeria, and the structure could be used to reach out to every Nigerian at the polling unit levels.
Comrade Akorede also opined that the Federal Government could employ the use of National Identification Number (NIN) or the Bank Verification Number (BVN) to reach out to all Nigerians for the equitable distribution of these palliatives, especially among the most vulnerable Nigerians, because political functionaries in Nigeria from the Governors to the Ministers, Senators, House of Reps members, States Houses of Assembly members have all disappointed Nigerians.
He said the President should consider his suggestion owing to lack of any effect of all the humonguous interventions running into billions, sent through them to their people on a monthly basis since this administration took off in May 2023.
He called on the. President to stand up for the common man in this country by making sure his interventions reach the targeted beneficiaries, who are the most vulnerable Nigerians.
Akorede adds, “The distribution mechanisms of those who were given the responsibility to distribute palliatives should be interrogated with a view to finding out where there were possible efforts to sabotage the Government, and whoever is found culpable should be made to face the wrath of the law.
“President Tinubu cannot afford to be doing so much while little or nothing is being felt by the people for which these interventions were meant. All Party hierarchies and functionaries should rise to up and support Mr. President in this trying moment of our nation. All our traditional and religious leaders also have a critical role to play, and all hands must be on the deck to achieve a prosperous new Nigeria.”
He also urged Journalists to use their various media to appeal to the conscience of Nigerians and educate them on the need to be patient with the government for a new Nigeria of our dream to be birthed, stating that “President Tinubu has begun a journey that Nigerians cannot afford to truncate simply because of what we would want to eat today. The task to make the future of Nigeria a great one for our children and children’s children is a task that must be performed and followed up to a logical conclusion.“