Nigerians hungry, you can't stop August 1 protest - Primate Ayodele to Tinubu

The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, on Thursday, cautioned President Bola Tinubu not to stop the upcoming August 1 protest against hardship in the country.

Primate Ayodele said Nigerians are very bitter and have formed hatred toward the present government due to the hardship in the country.

In a statement by his Media Aide, Oluwatosin Osho, Ayodele said the protest will hold but the government should work on mitigating the effects by reducing the prices of essential commodities like food, fuel, electricity, etc.

The clergy explained that the current hardship is affecting the poor and rich because many didn't expect it to get to this level even though he warned them before voting in another APC government.

He urged the president to discard those deceiving him that the economic situation of the country is getting better.

According to Ayodele, ''People are very bitter, and they have hatred towards this government. Some states will participate and some will not but definitely there will be protests. The government needs all it needs to do; crash the price of food, electricity, petroleum, find solutions to insecurity, regulate prices and others to mitigate the effect of the protest.

''People are in serious hardship but the government doesn't understand, they need to do something fast because it will be more than an ordinary protest. Nigeria doesn't need this protest now because there is 'protest inside protest' due to pains, hardship, and hunger.

''This government is just assumption-based; it is not a realistic one so it's difficult to connect with people or understand their pains. The government must adjust, it's very simple to stop this protest by doing all that is needed. It will be a protest of hunger, pains and reward.

''The government is affecting the rich and poor, there is hardship everywhere but people didn't expect this. People who surround the government are deceiving him. They want the government to collapse. The government has not done anything so they should expect the protest, it will stand. ''

''Nigeria deserves better welfare despite the increment in minimum wage, it's not an achievement but let this government go after a better achievement that the people will be grateful for.''