Protest: ‘APC Dubious, Funded Counter-Protesters’- Rivers LP Chairperson Hilda Dokubo Alleges

Rivers State Labour Party Chair, Hilda Dokubo, has criticised President Bola Tinubu and the APC amid nationwide protests.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that thousands of Nigerians began a 10-day nationwide protest on Thursday, driven by mounting economic hardship.

The protest, which continued earlier today in several states across the country on Friday under the banner ‘EndBadGovernance,’ was marred by pockets of violence, police brutality, vandalisation and looting.

The actress-turned-politician posted a video on her Instagram page Thursday accusing Mr Tinubu and his party of apathy towards protesters.

She alleged that the APC government, under Mr Tinubu, funded counter-protesters to instigate violence and derail the demonstrations.

She said: “I don’t understand this government’s reliance on palliatives. Why does this administration strongly believe in palliatives, shortcuts, and being dubious to themselves and the citizens? In a country of over 200 million Nigerians, you pick 5,000 people, give them a palliative that lasts less than 24 hours, and expect them to say thank you. What should they thank you for? For not knowing what to do? Every time the government says they give palliatives of five kilograms of rice, which is probably measured as maybe 10 cups. So, let’s assume that just one person eats that five-kilogram or even a 10-kilogram bag of rice. That meal is probably just four times.

“Are those people expected to chew the rice raw or boil and eat it because the government doesn’t give anything to it? They gave five people N5,000, which can’t even buy Suya, let alone proper meat to cook soup, and they think they’ve done something. We are over 200 million Nigerians, and we deserve more. Our country is rich but heavily indebted to countries we should be aiding today. Most definitely, there are things that the government has given to them as collateral or as sources for repaying the loans that they are collecting and using for themselves. These loans are ending up in individual pockets. These loans are not doing anything for the country.”