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Southeast Governors Warn Against August 1 Protest, Cite Risks of Hijacking and Instability
On August 1, Hope Uzodinma, Governor of Imo State and Chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum expressed concerns about the proposed nationwide protest against President Bola Tinubu. Uzodinma cautioned that initiating a strike at this time might be premature and could potentially be exploited like the EndSARS protest.
During a press briefing after a meeting with President Tinubu, former Senate President Pius Anyim, and Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Uzodinma emphasized that while democratic societies permit protests, such actions should be well-timed and purposefully planned to have a meaningful impact.
He argued that the current political environment, characterized by global uncertainties and domestic security challenges, necessitates a cautious approach to public demonstrations.
Uzodinma further questioned the motivations behind the protest, suggesting that those organizing it had yet to clearly articulate their reasons. He expressed concern that without a clear and justifiable cause, the protest could destabilize the fragile political climate and potentially lead to undesirable consequences.
The Governor highlighted that the EndSARS protests had been marred by criminal elements that took advantage of the situation, leading to significant unrest. He warned that a similar fate could befall the current protest if not carefully managed.
In his view, now might not be the right time for such demonstrations, urging Nigerians to consider the potential repercussions and work towards safeguarding the nation’s stability.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has paid tribute to late Nigerian actor Olu Jacobs, recalling his contributions to the creative industry and his impact on Nigeria’s cultural identity.
In his tribute, Tinubu described Jacobs as a giant of the Nigerian creative industry and said “He was a giant of the Nigerian creative industry. His passing is a great loss to Nigeria, the African film industry and the global community of lovers of the performing arts. His remarkable body of work will continue to speak to generations yet unborn.
“The nation recognises the enormous contributions of Nigeria’s creative practitioners to the country’s cultural identity, global image and economic development. Olu Jacobs played a big role in creating this identity.”
Human rights lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency over the proliferation of counterfeit and substandard drugs and consumer products in Nigeria.
Adeyanju also called for the removal of the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, as well as the heads of other regulatory agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
“Nigerians are being exposed to dangerous products daily, from fake and substandard medicines to unsafe consumer goods, with reports of drugs being sold wholesale in the open under the hot sun. No responsible government should expose its citizens to such risks and expect mortality rates not to rise.”
Adeyanju also called out NAFDAC over what he described as failures in regulating the circulation of counterfeit and substandard products in the country.
It can be noted that various counterfeit products continue to circulate in Nigerian markets, while NAFDAC has also reported seizures and destruction of counterfeit, expired and substandard products.
Lagosians have lamented heavy traffic caused by ongoing construction work at Kara Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The Federal Government announced that repairs on the damaged expansion joints at Kara Bridge would begin on September 8, 2026. The project, initially scheduled to begin in August, was delayed to allow further traffic management planning due to concerns over its impact on motorists.
Since work began, traffic around the Kara area has become heavy, with Lagosians sharing updates on social media about spending two hours or more on the road.
Some commuters say the delays have made their 9-to-5 routines difficult, with several hours spent travelling to and from work.
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