The protest, gaining momentum on social media, is scheduled for August and will take place across all states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Nigeria is currently facing severe inflation and economic crisis, exacerbated by the government’s recent removal of petrol subsidies and unification of forex windows. In response, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Nigeria Police Force, and the House of Representatives have issued warnings against the planned demonstrations.

On Saturday, Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga accused the Labour Party and Peter Obi of orchestrating the protest to draw attention to President Bola Tinubu’s handling of the economy. “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,” Onanuga alleged in a post on X.

Onanuga cautioned that the protest could devolve into chaos similar to the 2020 ENDSARS demonstration against police brutality, which turned destructive after being hijacked by unscrupulous elements. He maintained that the economy is improving and inflation is slowing, adding, “There is no country in the world where people are not going through some economic challenges and where the cost of living is not a major issue.” Onanuga also urged security agents to “interrogate these agents of destabilisation.”

In response, Labour Party spokesman Obiora Ifoh denied Onanuga’s allegations, stating, “There is no truth in that and the tweet is just the author’s figment of his imagination.” Ifoh emphasized the Labour Party’s commitment to peaceful conduct, noting, “Labour Party is known for being a very peaceful party and it has on several occasions asked its followers to follow peace at all times. We are not known as a lawless group as was evident in the aftermath of the last general election.”

Ifoh argued that peaceful protests worldwide are typically initiated by the people, not by opposition parties, and accused the government of deflecting blame for the nation’s bad governance. “It is therefore puerile for the government or anyone for that matter to begin to look for who to blame for the bad governance that is being witnessed in Nigeria today. Nigeria can still get it right if the right policies are initiated. We also advise that some aides of the presidency must be cautioned to avoid incendiary pronouncements capable of combusting the nation, all in the name of playing politics,” he stated.

As the date of the planned protest approaches, the political tension between the Presidency and the Labour Party continues to escalate, with both sides standing firm in their positions.