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Hundreds of youths on Thursday staged a peaceful protest in Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State, demanding an end to President Bola Tinubu’s administration over worsening economic hardship, insecurity and unemployment.

The demonstration, tagged “Tinubu Must Go”, coincided with Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary on October 1.

The protesters marched through the Tsohowar Kasuwa area of Potiskum, carrying placards and flags of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while expressing dissatisfaction with the state of the country.

They said President Tinubu’s Independence Day broadcast failed to address their concerns, particularly the rising cost of living, poverty, unemployment, insecurity and what they described as poor governance since the administration assumed office in 2023.

Speaking to journalists on condition of anonymity, one of the protesters said the demonstration was an exercise of their fundamental rights and a call for urgent action to address the country’s challenges.

“We came out today to express our fundamental rights, freedom of speech. We are suffering from this government, people are dying due to insecurity, poverty and unemployment in the land,” the protester said.

Another demonstrator, who identified with the opposition, expressed concern over the country’s economic situation and the state of the education sector.

He said the youths were dissatisfied with the government’s handling of issues affecting ordinary Nigerians.

Similarly, a protester identified as Malam Gambo said the demonstration was organised to draw attention to hunger, insecurity and what the participants described as bad governance.

Eyewitnesses reported that the protest remained peaceful and orderly, with young men and women making up the bulk of the demonstrators.

Some participants were seen carrying ADC flags as they marched through parts of Potiskum to express their grievances against the Tinubu administration.

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A United States-based advocacy firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has accused President Bola Tinubu of being desperate to retain power ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

The firm alleged that Tinubu was prepared to use security agencies, the judiciary and electoral institutions to manipulate the electoral process and secure another term in office.

Von Batten-Montague-York made the allegations in a statement published on its verified X handle on Thursday, amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 polls.

The firm’s remarks followed reports that five men were arrested in Borno State for wearing T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go.”

Reacting to the incident, the advocacy firm raised concerns about what it described as threats to democratic freedoms and the rule of law in Nigeria.

It also called attention to the importance of the United States standing with Nigerians in the defence of democracy and their constitutional rights.

In its statement, the firm claimed that Tinubu had personal reasons for seeking to remain in office, including the legal protections associated with presidential immunity.

“Nigerian President Bola Tinubu is desperate to remain in power for many self-beneficial reasons, including something called head-of-state immunity, a doctrine that can protect sitting heads of state from the jurisdiction of foreign courts while they remain in office,” the firm stated.

The organisation further alleged that Tinubu’s presidency could shield him from a possible fresh examination of allegations concerning his alleged involvement in heroin trafficking in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s.

“Tinubu is now fully aware that the only thing standing in the way of a possible official re-examination of his alleged role in the trafficking of heroin from Nigeria into the United States during the 1980s and 1990s, and a possible new criminal indictment, is his current status as President of Nigeria,” it added.

The allegations remain claims made by the advocacy firm and do not, in themselves, establish wrongdoing by the Nigerian President.

With the 2027 general elections approaching, debates over political freedoms, the conduct of security agencies and the credibility of the electoral process are expected to remain prominent in Nigeria’s political discourse.

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The ​Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Friday declared that his political alignment with President Bola Tinubu remains unshakable, rallying the political structure of Rivers State to consolidate support for the President.

​”My interest in Rivers State is for God to use me as a vessel to help our people. I am back here not for what I will get, but for what I will be to raise my people”, Wike declared during a strategic consultative meeting with stakeholders of the Akpor Kingdom in Obio-Akpor Local Government, Rivers State, Wike emphasized that politics is driven by the collective interest of the people rather than perpetual animosity.

He also reiterated his decision to resign his position as Minister should President Tinubu lose in Rivers State and the FCT.

​The former governor of Rivers State maintained that expanding the political base is essential for delivering democratic dividends.

He said; “there is no permanent enemy in politics what we have is permanent collective interest.

“It is all about the interest of our people. The more you are in number, the happier you become. Leadership is like a waste dustbin. If you cannot absorb things, both the good and the bad, then you cannot be a true leader.”

Reflecting on the political trajectory that led to his appointment as FCT Minister, Wike noted that working with President Tinubu was an extraordinary milestone that defied political convention.

He stressed that his return to grassroots mobilization in Rivers State is aimed at leveraging his position as a vessel to uplift the state and its people.

​”You know how difficult, you know how impossible it looked, but he made it possible for us to produce the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory,” Wike told the gathering.

​He charged political actors in the state not to be distracted by social media criticism regarding his open-door policy toward former detractors, asserting that true political strength lies in numerical superiority.

In a fiery charge to local leaders, Wike demanded an all-inclusive campaign structure spanning every stratum of society in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area.

He called on traditional rulers, clergy, and community leaders to unite behind a single political direction.

​”Obio-Akpor as a whole, whether you are a politician, whether you are a traditional ruler, whether you are a pastor, or whether you are a native doctor, I need everybody now,” he declared.

Wike said further; “Because all of them will vote. For the purpose of voting and elections, we must bring everyone together. ”

​Drawing from his political history as the first elected chairman in the history of Obio-Akpor Local Government to win a second term following its creation in 1989, Wike reminded incumbent council leaders that performance and human connection remain the ultimate yardsticks for re-election.

​He stated; “I was not elected two times because I was just Chairman.

“I was elected because people felt the impact of governance and because I related with the people. Anywhere, whether for burial or thanksgiving, I was always identifying with them”.

Outlining the electoral roadmap, the FCT Minister highlighted Wards 15, 16, and 17 in Obio-Akpor Local Government as strategic strongholds capable of deciding electoral outcomes across the local council.

​”We have over 200 units across three very important wards Ward 15, Ward 16, and Ward 17. These three wards can defeat ten wards in Obio-Akpor. They are three wards with a difference, and you must utilize them to make that difference,” he instructed.

​Wike directed local leaders to immediately deploy unit coordinators and door-to-door canvassers across all polling units, urging them to mobilize their immediate families, in-laws, and neighbors to ensure a decisive victory.

​Reiterating his loyalty to his constituency, Wike affirmed that he would remain the state’s “Chief Critic” and guide to ensure elected council officers stay accountable to the electorate.

Wike was accompanied by the Rivers State APC governorship candidate, Kingsley Chinda and other political leaders.