A small group of #EndBadGovernance protesters gathered at Gani Fawehinmi Park on Sunday morning, chanting solidarity songs shortly after President Bola Tinubu addressed the nation.
The protesters expressed dissatisfaction, stating that the President did not address the core issues they had raised, despite mentioning efforts by his administration. Security personnel, including police officers, remained present at the park.
In his earlier broadcast on Sunday, President Bola Tinubu urged the youth to suspend the #EndBadGovernance protests and engage in dialogue. He emphasized his administration’s commitment to good governance despite the socio-economic challenges facing Nigeria.
Tinubu described the removal of the petrol subsidy as a difficult but necessary step for economic reform. The return of the petrol subsidy has been a key demand of the young Nigerians protesting since Thursday against the country’s economic hardships.
Tinubu, a former Lagos governor, announced the removal of the petrol subsidy during his inaugural address as President on May 29, 2023. This decision led to a significant increase in fuel prices, rising from around N184 to over N700 per litre, depending on the location.
Simultaneously, the government unified forex windows, causing the naira’s value to plummet from approximately $1/N700 to over $1/1600 in the parallel market. This devaluation triggered sharp increases in food prices and basic commodities, exacerbating inflation and economic distress for Nigerians.
The protesters’ demands include the restoration of petrol subsidies and the reform of the foreign exchange regime. They also call for government action on food shortages, unemployment, and wasteful spending by officials. Additional demands include reducing the size of the President’s cabinet, cutting the overall cost of governance, and implementing immediate reforms in the electoral commission (INEC) and the anti-corruption agency (EFCC) to intensify efforts against corrupt politicians.