Peter Mbah, the governor of Enugu, and Dave Umahi, the minister of works, have expressed their appreciation for the people of the south-east for abstaining from the #EndBadGovernance protests.

Since August 1, Nigerians have been demonstrating against economic challenges and rising inflation.

In various cities, including Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Kaduna, security forces responded to the protests with teargas as they escalated into violence.

During an inspection of the Enugu-Onitsha, Enugu-Abakaliki, and Enugu-Port Harcourt road projects on Sunday, Mbah and Umahi addressed the situation. Mbah thanked the people of the south-east for adhering to the government’s request to avoid the protests, noting that this decision prevented potential loss of life and business disruption in the region.

“I want to extend my deep appreciation to our people for heeding our call to avoid the protests and focus on their businesses. We commend them highly for recognizing the importance of hard work,” Mbah stated. He added, “While the benefits of government policies may not be immediately apparent, I assure you that these initiatives are well-meaning. With time and a bit more patience with the federal government, we will begin to see the positive impacts of these reforms.”

Mbah urged the public to continue their daily activities, emphasizing that any destruction of public assets would ultimately harm the community’s shared resources. “We must remain focused and diligent in our work,” he concluded. Umahi, on his part, highlighted the significant message sent by the Igbo community across Nigeria by choosing not to protest. He emphasized that there was no need for the south-east to demonstrate, especially as President Bola Tinubu is attentive to their interests.

“We are not going to protest. We seek proper integration into the nation’s affairs,” Umahi said. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has initiated this by appointing an Igbo person as the minister of works and another as a service chief, among other positions.”

He noted that the south-east had historically been marginalized in governance and development, but the current administration is addressing these issues. “Why should we protest against a leader who has given us what we never received before?” Umahi questioned.

He also praised Governor Mbah for his leadership and thanked other governors and states in the south-east for not participating in the protests.