Peter Obi’s supporters behind planned nationwide protest – Onanuga alleges

Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on information and strategy to President Bola Tinubu, has accused supporters of Peter Obi of orchestrating the proposed nationwide protest.

Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has been linked to reports of youths planning a protest from August 1 to 15 against the rising cost of living and economic difficulties in the country.

Onanuga alleged that the protest organizers are the same individuals who hijacked the 2020 #ENDSARS protest. He claimed that those instigating the protest are advocating for a “civilian coup.”

“Obi should be held responsible for any resulting anarchy. Don’t be misled: the malcontents planning these nationwide protests are supporters of Peter Obi, the unsuccessful Labour Party presidential candidate. He should be held accountable for any crisis arising from their actions,” Onanuga wrote on X.

He further alleged that the protest planners are linked to IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, who he said influenced the destructive #ENDSARS protest in October 2020.

“ENDSARS started as a legitimate protest by youths against the Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad, known for its brutality. IPOB members, seeking to separate the South East region from Nigeria, infiltrated and hijacked the protest for their own purposes. Lagos still bears the scars of the destruction caused by IPOB elements. Two years after ENDSARS, these individuals, along with gullible supporters, joined the Labour Party in 2022 to back Peter Obi, a sympathizer of their cause. They are spreading hashtags like ‘EndBadGovernance,’ ‘Tinubu Must Go,’ and ‘Revolution2024.’”

Onanuga stated that the protest would be considered treasonous.

“These are not democrats but anarchists, attempting to incite the public through propaganda because their Messiah, Peter Obi, did not win the 2023 presidential election. As sore losers, they refuse to wait for the next election in 2027 and instead seek to destabilize Nigeria by staging a civilian coup against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. If they understand the implications of their hashtags, they will realize they are calling for treason. Seeking to end an elected government is high treason. Calling for a revolution is also a call for a coup d’état, which is high treason. I have been tracking one of the protest planners, who remains nameless but claims to run an internet radio station, PTM100.88 Abuja.”

Onanuga mentioned that the federal government has taken several measures to address the economic challenges, including raising the minimum wage, disbursing student loans, and rolling out palliatives.

“President Tinubu has a four-year mandate to implement his agenda. Those calling for protests should wait until 2027 to either re-elect him or elect their Messiah, Mr. Peter Obi,” Onanuga said.