Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
As the nationwide protest against hunger and bad governance commenced August 1st in major cities across Nigeria, the National Chairman, Abia State Elders Consultative Forum, Archbishop Professor Princewilll Ariwodor, has warned against any attempt to arrest former Governor of Anambra State, and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, over his critisms against the anti-people policies of the current administration.
Archbishop Ariwodor who spoke Thursday in Umuahia, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to honourablly resign if he had run out of ideas to pull Nigeria out of the woods.
The cleric who decried the biting economic hardship in the country, accused the Tinubu-led Government of plunging Nigeria into economic mess due to misgovernance.
Archbishop Ariwodor who warned that any attempt to touch Obi for speaking truth to power, would be counter productive, told Tinubu to listen to public opinions.
“Abia elders solidly stand behind Obi. And if anybody attempts to arrest him, we will all march to Abuja, and they should get ready to slaughter all of us there. If anybody touches him for speaking the truth, the person should be ready to kill all of us.
“I spoke with Obasanjo and I agree with his advice to Tinubu that peaceful protesters should not be touched. This is democracy. I totally endorse the position of the former President in the statement he had issued.”
Archbishop Ariwodor disagreed with those calling for the shelving of the nationwide protest, accusing them of deceiving the President for personal gains.
“We want to dissociate ourselves with the advice of Igbo leaders who found themselves in position of authority, and do not see the level of suffering of the Nigerian masses as a result of bad governance.
“Why will you want people to keep quiet and remain in the House when a cup of beans is N600 and two cups of garri N500?”
Calling for Tinubu’s resignation if he lacked ideas to fix Nigeria’s failing economy, Archbishop Ariwodor argued that the former Lagos Governor should not have presented himself to lead Nigeria if he knew he had no solution the the county’s challenges.
He cautioned Government against any attempt to use force against peaceful protesters.
The cleric said that Nigeria under Tinubu, had its worst economic condition.
“We have never experienced this level of decay in the economic management of this country. Other leaders were in one way or the other better than the current Government.
“Tinubu should resign if he is unable to fix the economy. The Nigeria economy was far better before he took over. Buhari handed over to him a better economy which he has now destroyed.
“But his allies and psychophants don’t tell him the truth. Nigerians are suffering, there is no pretense.
“Nigerians are hungry and have the constitutional right to express their grievances through peaceful protest.
“The people are not violent, so, why will you apply force against peaceful protesters?
“Why will you flog people and ask them not to cry? You are flogging the nation and shouldn’t ask the people not to cry.
“Government should listen to public opinions. Pressure groups, provided they are not violent, make Governments to sit up.”
