Tinubu holds emergency meeting with Sultan, Ooni, IGP over planned protest

President Bola Tinubu has held an emergency closed-door meeting with top traditional rulers, security top brass in his government and governors of his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), regarding the planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest.

The high-delegation meeting was held at the state House in Abuja on Thursday, July 25, 2024.

The APC governors were led to the meeting by the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma.

Also spotted at the meeting with the President were some first-class traditional rulers, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi; the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Saad Abubakar III; and other traditional leaders across the country.

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; as well as ministers and other members of the President’s cabinet were also in attendance, while a delegation of Islamic scholars (Ulamas) also later joined.

This comes as the planned nationwide protest slated to commence on August 1, 2024, continues to gain steam.

Some Nigerians on social media have continued to mobilise for the mass demonstration, which is intended to extract some commitments from the Federal Government.

Among others, the protest promoters are demanding an immediate end to bad governance, the scrapping of the 1999 Constitution, and a reduction in the cost of governance.

However, President Tinubu has continued to appeal to the aggrieved citizens to shelve the planned action and give his administration more for its reforms to bear the desired results.

As part of his last-minute moves to placate the protest planners, the President sent a bill to set the minimum wage at ₦70,000 to the National Assembly this week, and the bill is awaiting his assent after it was speedily passed by both legislative chambers on Tuesday.