In a recent town hall meeting organized by the Jigawa state government and presided over by Governor Malam Umar Namadi, several key associations declared their disassociation from the planned nationwide protest against bad governance.
The meeting took place at the Banquet Hall of Dutse Government House, on Monday.
Governor Malam Umar Namadi opened the meeting by acknowledging the difficult conditions faced by the people in Nigeria.
He stated, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we governors, and all other leaders are disturbed by the situation. As Muslims, we believe that everything is from Allah Almighty. We all know and believe that no human being has the power to make his fellow human rich or poor, healthy or sick, but only Almighty Allah. It is part of the pillar of Islam for all Muslims to believe that whatever happens to them, whether good or bad, is from Allah Almighty. We find ourselves in a trial with Him. So, some are calling for a protest. Whom will they protest against?”
Governor Namadi emphasized that the government is actively working to address the situation through various measures and initiatives.
He highlighted recent federal directives for importing food items and distributing rice to all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“So many policies and programs are in top gear in agriculture and food production in the state. All of this is to improve food production and achieve food security in the country,” he added.
During the meeting, the chairman of the Jigawa State branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Father Maurice Hassan, stated that the Christian community in Jigawa state would not participate in the planned protest.
He said, “CAN Jigawa state is not and will not be part of the protest. We, under CAN, support the peace existing in the state, and we will not allow or be part of anything that would tamper with the peace in the state and country.” He appealed to the leaders in power to find a solution to the troubling situation faced by the people.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Jigawa State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Sunusi Alhassan, declared, “We are not and will not be part of this protest because our national secretariat is not party to it.”
Additionally, the president of the Jigawa State National Student Association of Nigeria (NAJIS), Comrade Abdullahi Garba, expressed their stance against the protest.
He said, “We would not allow any selfish individual or group to use us as youth to destabilize the peace of the nation for selfish interests.”
The town hall meeting concluded with a unified stance from the associations in Jigawa state, emphasizing their commitment to maintaining peace and supporting government efforts to address the current challenges.
