Speaking in an interview on Arise TV on Thursday, Afenifere spokesman Justice Faloye stated that the group warned President Bola Tinubu about the consequences of implementing his flawed and ineffective economic policies, which have plunged millions of Nigerians into abject poverty.
“We are not agitating but we understand that there’s a protest coming up, and we understand that it’s due to the hunger in the land, and we’re cautioning that we don’t want any violence. We don’t know the leaders but we support the protest,” said the Afenifere spokesman.
He said Afenifere warned Mr Tinubu about the detrimental consequences of the fuel subsidy removal, but he “was so sure that he could go where no other government has gone.”
Afenifere spokesman added, “It is not those who are protesting or who want to protest that’s endangering the polity. It’s the government policies.”
He added, “You cannot remove subsidies like that anywhere, even in England or America or the richest countries in the world. If you remove subsidies in England today, within two weeks, you will find the same protest come out. So, for us to say people should remain hungry, it’s totally unfair.”
Asked if he was not in support of Mr Tinubu and if he thought the president had failed the people, Mr Faloye said, “Definitely, because we believe that he’s being superficial. He should restructure the economy. We have a colonial economy.”