Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, National leader of the All Progressives Congress Party (APC) appealed to protesting Nigerians recently: “What we are going through now will be resolved. We are going through a historical phase of a country that is promising and holding the promise for you. There is a leadership on the line. And you have to live with that for now. Protest won’t solve the problem, will it, he asked rhetorically.”
“Being responsive, being able to get engaged with you so that you will see the problems that we are facing. You are right, when you say there is a lot of unemployment in the country, epileptic power supply and series of other un-commendable developments in the country. In every political situation, we have the twist and turn. It cannot be straight all the time. We are the same victims. You carry a placard, I have been a placard carrier since when? This government is a product of a protest. If you didn’t have a bad administration then, you won’t vote for us. You voted on our promises. We are just two years into that promise compared to sixteen (16) years that they took over that they could have made the changes.”
“We are working on the electricity. Without electricity, there could be no industrialization and explosion of employment opportunities for our people. That is in our head. But, it cannot grow like the mushroom. To fetch water out of the rock, you have to endure some blisters. Be patient. Let’s have faith in our leaders. We’ve continued to manage Lagos, you’ve seen progress. It’s because of the consistent application of our programmes. A time started in 1998, 1999 it was a terrible situation here in Lagos. Dead body on the street, no ambulances, LASU was completely disintegrated, extremely dangerous mortuaries. What do you have today? Because you endured then. Just go and endure again.”
“We sold APC to you, please hang on to it. You have your rights to vote against us during election if you want. But, I remain in the party because we will retool this party. We will retool this government. The damage of over sixty years and sixty years of miss-governance cannot be turned around overnight. Let’s be patient. Let’s have the understanding. Let’s hang on to hope. There is nothing more effective that can drive you better than hope and belief in a positive turn of this situation. We understand. We are not saying you are not suffering. We are not saying unemployment has not increased. I have no argument. But, economy cannot collapse one day. Systemic problem had occurred before now. Fine! We are not running away from that responsibility, we are going to face it squarely and we are going to bring prosperity back to the country.”
“It’s your right to protest. Any misgovernance, any perceived bad treatment, no one should stop you. No one, Ok? However, if you get engaged, you don’t have to suffer the burning sun. I have given you the respect that you deserve. Please, go back, calm down, hang on to hope, visit me whenever it’s necessary, the job will be available.”