Salihu Mohammed Lukman, former national vice chairman (North West) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has issued a stark warning to President Bola Tinubu, urging him not to disregard the mass protests erupting across the country over the high cost of living.

In a statement released in Abuja on Wednesday, Lukman, a former Director General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), cautioned that failure to address the underlying issues could lead to widespread unrest in the nation.

Lukman expressed deep concern over the prevailing economic challenges, stating, “As it stands, the renewed hope agenda of our party has been overshadowed. Like the fluctuating Naira exchange rate, Renewed Hope is being exchanged for Renewed Anger, fueling frustration among citizens.”

Highlighting the severity of the situation, Lukman emphasized the prevalence of hunger in the land, lamenting that such hardships are occurring under the leadership of the APC. He criticized the statement by Mr Felix Morka, the National Publicity Secretary, attributing the protests to opposition influence, labelling it as dishonest.

“How can we attribute protests in APC strongholds like Minna and Kano to opposition sponsorship?” Lukman questioned. He reminded that both cities are known as APC strongholds, with Niger State ruled by the APC and Kano being the home state of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the APC National Chairman.

Lukman stressed the need for the APC leadership to acknowledge the legitimacy of these protests as responses to the harsh realities Nigerians face. He warned that the protests would escalate nationwide if left unaddressed, posing a significant challenge to the party’s credibility, leadership, and democracy.

In conclusion, Lukman cautioned that ignoring the protests would be at the peril of the APC and President Asiwaju Tinubu, urging them to take decisive action to address the people’s grievances.