President Bola Tinubu has admitted to his involvement in peaceful protests during the military era.
He made the admission while receiving a Letter of Credence from the new US Ambassador, Mr. Richard Mills Jr., at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, on Thursday.
Tinubu recalled participating in peaceful protests against dictatorship.
The President said, “Our relationship with America is rich. We believe in democracy and freedom. Some of your predecessors worked hard during our transition to democracy, and we remember the likes of Ambassador Howard Jeter.
”We look forward to Nigeria and the United States continuously working to expand cooperation on shared goals and democratic values.
”During the military era, we made our voices heard against dictatorship, and I was part of the group that engaged in peaceful protests without resorting to the destruction of property. We have worked hard to ensure 25 years of unbroken democracy and I will continue to maintain this democracy.”
The President said in as much as he believes that demonstrations are part of democracy, “we will never encourage any protests that lead to the destruction of lives and property”.
This is coming amidst a planned nationwide demonstration over the worsening economic situation in the country.
