Wike Convenes Anti-Protest Town Hall Meeting

By: Wisdom Acka

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday, held a Town Hall meeting to dissuade FCT residents from participating in the nationwide protests planned for 1st August.

Wike stated that it became imperative to assemble stakeholders in the Federal Capital Territory and agree on the necessity to maintain peace and order which could not be guaranteed if residents joined the protests.

The Minister stressed that undesirable elements could high-jack the protest and use it to cause mayhem in the society, including wrecking of havoc on public and private utilities, as well as disrupting societal peace.

He told the audience made up of representatives from various groups, including religious, traditional, original inhabitants, and youth groups, among others, that the FCT prefered peace and dialogue, noting however, that there had been lack of communication with the people, which would be corrected.

His words: “We all want peace. There may have been lack of communication, but anytime you wake up is your morning. That is why we want to discuss.”

Earlier, the Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, in a welcome address, emphasized the rights of government to protect lives and property, which was why the meeting was called.

Maikalangu, while expressing the willingness and readiness of government to continuously interface with the people, affirmed that dialogue, not protests was the most potent means to ameliorating the current hardship in the country.

The AMAC boss appealed to Nigerians, especially FCT residents, to take example from countries that have engaged in similar nationwide protests, such as Kenya and Libya, among others, stating such did not improve their conditions.

“Dialogue is the way out, not protests “, Maikalangu insisted.