President Bola Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians to cancel a planned ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest slated for next month.

Information Minister Mohammed Idris, who briefed selected State House correspondents after a meeting with the President on Tuesday, conveyed Tinubu’s request for protest organizers to await the government’s response to their complaints.

“The issue of the planned protest, Mr. President does not see any need for that. He’s asked them to shelve that plan. He’s asked them to await the government’s response to all their pleas,” the minister stated.

The protest, aimed at highlighting economic hardships, has been gaining traction on social media and is scheduled to take place across all states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in August. The organizers of the protest have remained anonymous.

In recent months, prices of food and basic commodities have soared, with Nigerians facing one of the worst inflation and economic crises, triggered by the government’s policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex windows.

The Federal Government, through the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Nigeria Police Force, and the House of Representatives, has issued warnings against the planned demonstration. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and embattled Senator Ali Ndume have called on the President to address the grievances of the discontented individuals, primarily youths.

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga also warned on Saturday that the planned protest could potentially lead to the destruction of assets similar to the aftermath of the EndSARS protest against police brutality and extrajudicial killings in October 2020.