We’re not where we should be, Nigerians entitled to protest — Kalu

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has said Nigerians have the right to protest over the economic hardship in the country, describing demonstrations as part of democracy, while admitting the country is not where it should be.

The former Abia State governor spoke during an interview on a Channels Television programme: “Talking Politics,” on Wednesday.

Kalu was confronted with the protests staged by Nigerians over hardship in the country while he defended the performance of the administration.

Responding, the senator said citizens were entitled to express their dissatisfaction through protests.

He said: “This is why it’s a democratic government. 

“Protest is part of democracy. 

“I cannot deny them the right to protest. 

“No. 

“It’s their entitlement to protest.” 

Kalu nevertheless maintained that the government was working to address the challenges confronting Nigerians.

He acknowledged that the administration had yet to achieve everything expected of it.

“But we have not gotten where we are supposed to be,” Kalu noted.

The senator had earlier maintained that the macroeconomic aspect of the Nigerian economy had been stabilised while challenges remained at the microeconomic level.

He linked some of the difficulties affecting ordinary Nigerians to insecurity and the inability of people to carry out economic activities, particularly farming, in affected areas.

He also defended Tinubu’s economic reforms, arguing that difficult periods were inevitable during major changes. 

Despite those arguments, Kalu maintained that Nigerians retained the democratic right to protest when dissatisfied with conditions in the country.

He explicitly described protest as part of democracy and an entitlement of Nigerians before conceding that the country had “not gotten where we are supposed to be”.

𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖/𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖