Peter Obi, Alex Otti Differ On August 1st Planned Protest

Peter Obi: On the issue of protest, within the Nigerian Constitution protest is allowed. All I plead is for those who are protesting to do so within the law and in a civil manner that allows us as a nation to show that we live within the law.

Everybody knows that things are difficult, I always say when they talk about sponsors of the protest, they are hunger, hopelessness among the youths so we all must have to listen to what Nigerians are going through.

What I will say to security Agencies is that they must do all to manage the situation again within the law. They should not try to be overbearing, it's something they must have to do within the law, there is nothing wrong with protest. Protest is allowed everywhere globally and I ask myself, people protest in my house and it's for us to listen to those who are protesting.

Why are they protesting, engage them that's what governance is all about. You talk with them. I was Governor for eight (cool years and people protested.

Alex Chioma Otti: It will be very very unfair to say things are not difficult, things are very difficult, hunger is real but how so you solve the problem?

The problem we find ourselves in the country today is economic and will I say we are actually paying the price for bad governance that didn't start today. First of all, for you to organize protest the law requires that you get approval from the security forces, particularly the Police and somebody should take responsibility for getting that approval.

So, if you don't have the approval, then it will be against the law for you to go out on the streets to protest. So my final word is that people should think about the implications of pouring out on the streets and restricting movement of other people on the streets and possibly inflicting harm and more hardship on the people.

For people in Abia, my advice is that people should not pour out on the streets because it may be more hurtful than the reason for the protest people are calling for.