Former Ekiti Governor Ayodele Fayose has described the planned nationwide protest as a “coup” against the President Bola Tinubu administration.
In an interview with Channels Television on Monday, Fayose warned that no government would tolerate a protest being used as a pretext for military intervention.
He made this statement as the country prepares for a nationwide demonstration against economic hardship, scheduled for the first week of August.
Despite appeals from the federal government and President Tinubu to cancel the protests, the organizers remain resolute.
Speaking on the development, the former Ekiti governor said the protest has been politicised.
Fayose said the protesters must consider the implications of their actions.
“People can go to the streets but don’t let people who can hijack this protest turn it to a situation where people will now imagine that you want to take government from Asiwaju (Tinubu),” Fayose said.
“The perception now is that it is a coup. It is a coup. That is the perception everywhere, they are giving an impression that they want to use this protest for military to come in.
“There is no government that will allow them to topple his own government. It is good that Asiwaju has admitted that protest is good but people protesting should remember the consequences.”
The former governor said Tinubu’s administration cannot be assessed in a year, adding that Nigeria is a difficult country to govern.
He added that those saying “they want to bring down the government” should be taken seriously.
