An opinion poll hastily conducted in the wake of looming strike action in several states of the federation astonishingly reveals a strong rejection of any form of protest by youths to settle scores with the government.
By our reporters across the nation
Ahead of the week of protest scheduled for August 1st and 2nd, 2024, an opinion poll hastily conducted by a leading Abuja-based Public Relations company has clearly shown the undeniable rejection of protest as a means of settling scores with the government. An overwhelming 55% of Nigerians interviewed via a questionnaire format rejected protest and strike as a means of challenging government, instead favoring the continuous use of dialogue. The poll conducted in Lagos, Abuja, Benin-city, Enugu, Onitsha, and Port Harcourt featuring young men between the ages of 25 to 45, instead believes protest is an outdated means of resisting government bad policies. While 25% of respondents agreed the government has not performed to expectation, 15% said it was too early to rate the government as having spent only one year in office. 5% felt unconcerned and preferred to remain silent.
Among the reasons advanced by those opposing protest, was that it was too hasty to judge Tinubu as having spent less than 365 days in office; they emphatically agreed that President Tinubu has performed creditably despite the woeful performance of erstwhile president Buhari who they agreed set Nigeria 30 years back. They point to critical achievements such as the revitalization of Abuja infrastructure, the creation of various commissions for the regions, the establishment of the Livestock Ministry to quell the Herders-Farmers crisis as well as the spread of Federal appointments. Amongst others, the group insisted that, unlike the Buhari era when corruption was endemic, eating so deep into the fabric of the nation and nothing was done, Tinubu surpassed imagination by his prompt handling of the Betty Edu Affair. The group says, ministers in the Buhari era who behaved as though they were lords and went away unscathed indulging in mindboggling thievery, the one at the humanitarian ministry who squandered 40 billion claiming to feed school children, while the other brazenly ferried in a fake national Carrier in the name of Nigeria Airways!
They wondered if Nigerians kept mute during that period, preferring to tolerate Buhari’s 8 harrowing years in office, it amounts to double standards to challenge President Tinubu after only a few days in office. Indeed, the poll shows Tinubu has appointed more youth in government and wondered what else was needed to persuade a restive crowd. The poll found out that although Tinubu was on course to deliver on his mandate, there were improvement allowances. For example, they pointed out that Tinubu could rein in unscrupulous elements who exploit consumers and the masses by arbitrarily increasing the prices of food items; they believe stronger regulation along this line would help curb rising prices and calm frayed nerves. Following these revelations, our reporters were satisfied that planners of the August protest could be more useful in helping the government as a unified force rather than being divisive.
