By Habeeb Ibrahim
The Presidency has reaffirmed Nigerians’ right to peaceful protest, stating that no one in the administration has the authority to deny citizens this right.
According to Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, “Let me be clear: we are not in office to dominate our people; we are here to serve them.”
Ngelale emphasized that the administration recognizes the right to peaceful protest, saying, “No one in our administration has the authority to deny Nigerians their right to peaceful protest.”
He acknowledged fears surrounding a potential hijack of the protests but reassured citizens of President Tinubu’s commitment to putting Nigeria on a sound economic footing.
Ngelale said, “We are working in the short, medium, and long terms to improve living standards… However, development takes time, and there is no magic wand to solve the country’s problems overnight.”
He highlighted the FG’s efforts, including single-digit interest rate credit facilities for over one million MSMEs, road reconstruction, and social investment programs, saying, “There’s a lot of work that has to be done, and there’s a lot of work that is being done.”
Ngelale cited examples of ongoing projects, stating, “Right now, you have over 300 roadways across all states of the Federation being reconstructed… There are several things that are going on now that create direct employment and set us up for a prosperous future.”
He also described a recent Supreme Court judgment granting local government councils fiscal autonomy as “restructuring in practice,” adding, “That is the kind of thing that Nigerians would need to give some time to see what the difference actually will translate into in terms of the impact on their livelihoods.”
