A LABOUR Party (LP) chieftain, Yunusa Tanko, has refuted the allegation against the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, that he is behind a planned nationwide protest.

On Saturday, July 20, Tanko noted that Obi had nothing to do with the protest, noting that people could plan to protest based on the hardship in the country.

“There are people suffering from health, education, security, and many other issues. These things are part of the failure of the government. They should face the government’s failure as individuals and not attach it to Peter Obi.

“Peter Obi has nothing to do with this, whatsoever and it affects all Nigerians, who have a right to raise their voices as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that when there is bad governance, people have the right to ventilate. It is unfair and unacceptable that they are trying to pin this on Peter Obi,’” he said.

The special adviser on information and strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga, on Saturday, took to his X account to state that the supporters of Peter Obi were planning to stage the nationwide protests scheduled for August 1.

He noted that Peter Obi should be held responsible for the planned protest, adding that the protest planners were the same people that instigated the destructive ENDSARS protest in Nigeria in October 2020.

“Don’t be fooled: the malcontents planning to stage nationwide protests are supporters of Peter Obi, the failed presidential candidate of the Labour Party. And he should be held responsible for whatever crisis emanates from the action.

“The protest planners are also the same people who were instigated by IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu to launch the destructive ENDSARS protest in Nigeria in October 2020,” he said.

This is coming following reports that some Nigerians are planning a nationwide protest on August 1 due to the rising cost of living and economic hardship.

After one year of President Tinubu’s administration, many of his economic reforms have worsened  inflation, as food prices and cost of living generally soared.

Across the country, the economic situation is fuelling frustration and anger against the government, with many Nigerians calling for massive protests.

In the past couple of days, some governors have publicly warned the youth in their states not to join any protest against the federal government.

On Wednesday, the members of the House of Representatives resolved to slash their salaries by half to appease Nigerians. However, the lawmakers only slashed a fraction of their earnings.