President Bola Tinubu has asked protesters not to allow enemies of democracy use them to topple his government.
In his nationwide broadcast on Sunday, Tinubu said democracy has been enjoyed in Nigeria for 25 years, highlighting its dividends.
On Saturday, photos and videos of protesters in Kano waving the Russian flag went viral as the demonstrators chanted in Hausa, “We don’t want bad government.”
Hundreds of mostly underaged youths urged President Vladimir Putin of Russia to intervene in Nigeria.
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“We are raising the Russian flag because we believe Tinubu is playing his imperial masters’ scripts—the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the United States of America,” a protester reportedly told TheCable.
A lawyer and social commentator, Bulama Bukarti, said the images indicated the growing support for Russia in Northern Nigeria.
Russia, an Eastern power which is currently having a cold war with the West, Nigeria’s colonial power, has been fingered in the coup d’etats in West African countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, among others.
Although he did not make any reference to Russia in his speech, Tinubu appealed that enemies of democracy should not be allowed to promote unconstitutional agenda.
“Let us work together to build a brighter future for ourselves and for generations to come. Let us choose hope over fear, unity over division, and progress over stagnation. The economy is recovering; Please, don’t shut out its oxygen. Now that we have been enjoying democratic governance for 25 years, do not let the enemies of democracy use you to promote an unconstitutional agenda that will set us back on our democratic journey. FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER!”
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