FCT minister Neysom Wike says the planned protest against President Bola Tinubu’s administration is politically motivated, pointing out that Nigeria is already a “rotten country.” 

Mr Wike accused Nigerians of impatience and being in a hurry to see Mr Tinubu perform a miracle to fix the nation’s breakdown.

Mr Wike stated this on Tuesday while interacting with journalists after an inspection of the Karshi to Apo Road construction project awarded 13 years ago.

“Let’s tell ourselves the simple truth. If we are playing politics, let’s say we are playing politics. If we want to be sincere to ourselves, let’s be sincere to ourselves and help our country.

“The country is rotten. You know that the country is rotten, and a government has just come to see what it can do to at least move it from where we are to a certain level, and you say that miracle must be performed within one year,” the FCT minister stressed.

Mr Wike added, “You are here now. We are talking about a project that was awarded 13 good years ago. What has happened? Nothing. Now a government has come to see how it can fix all these things and we are in too much of a hurry demanding that it must be done now.

“It is not possible. The protest is a political protest.”

The minister acknowledged that people are unhappy due to hunger and unemployment, pointing out that Mr Tinubu’s government is not responsible for the current level of unemployment in the country.

According to him, Mr Tinubu’s administration is working hard to put things together, which will take some time.

The minister said, “So, let’s not listen to political protesters and political jobbers who just want to be popular. You know there are some people who believe that if they don’t criticise, they will not be popular. We are going to elections very soon. These are political gimmicks.

“Just know that the government is a serious government and working to solve the problem. We believe that things will turn around, but we should be patient with the government.”

Nigerians in some sections of the country have planned to embark on a week-long protest over hunger and insecurity.

While some groups and individuals have distanced themselves from the planned protest, others insisted it must be held to draw the attention of the government and the international community to the sufferings of Nigerians. 

(NAN)