A coalition of 50 civil society groups with over two thousand members led by the Stand Up Nigeria, has called on Nigerians to believe in and support the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his quest to make the country prosperous and match on the path to greatness.

The Convener, Stand Up Nigeria, Sunday Attah, stated this at a special rally for democracy to mark the nation 63rd independence anniversary in Abuja.

According to him, the rally was a testament of absolute patriotism and an unflinching belief in the potentials of Nigeria as a country of great economic and social advantage on the African continent and the world at large.

He said Stand Up Nigeria and 50 other civil society groups convoked the rally because the country is going through a most trying period and some of the elected officials have decided to stand the truth on its head.

Attah said there is the need for the reawakening of people’s consciousness to the threat posed to peace and unity by those that are attacking the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The rally, he added, is to send a strong message to those that do not wish Nigeria well in its quest for sustainable growth and development.

He said: “That we have congregated in our numbers is not for political purposes, but rather a coming together of patriotic Nigerians that are desirous of a Nigeria of our dreams where peace and unity shall reign supreme.

“It is no longer a secret that these are indeed trying times in Nigeria because there is a well-orchestrated campaign of calumny against the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in its efforts towards addressing the myriads of politically motivated challenges in the country.

“We must understand that the happenings in the country are not a function of ineffective leadership as they want us to believe, but rather the manifestation of a high level of disdain for Tinubu for standing on the side of truth and the teeming Nigerian population.”

The convener stated that the rally is to show their support and absolute belief in the leadership style and the renewed hope agenda of the President in his quest to make Nigeria a better and prosperous country that this generation of Nigerians would be proud of.

He said the rally is also against coup plotters, agents of destabilisation and foreign elements conspiring against Nigeria and the Tinubu-led administration, saying the group know that these elements desire that the country disintegrates into chaos.

“But they won’t have their way for Nigerians are resolute to protect democracy in the country from these marauders.

“We know their ultimate game plan is to discredit the administration of President Tinubu for his stand against coup in Niger Republic and the call for the return of democratic order as chairman of the Economic Community of West Africa State (ECOWAS) before Nigerians and the international community. They want to paint a picture of incompetence as a justification for their evil plan for a change of government through unorthodox means in the country.

“In all of these, we wondered what percentages of the Nigerian population are against Tinubu and what is the percentage that is in support of the President. We realised that it was only a minute percentage that is against his leadership style and this disapproval is for selfish reasons and not in the overall interest of the country,” he added.

The group said these elements are out to rubbish the renewed hope agenda of the Bola Tinubu-led administration by instigating and promoting unrest across the country.

“They are also out to ensure that the country remains ungovernable by all means necessary, not minding whose ox is gored.

“Stand Up Nigeria is at the forefront of this grand rally to impress it upon those that are against the unity of Nigeria that indeed the country is behind Tinubu come rain and come shine. And our gathering here for the grand rally indeed buttresses it.

“Tinubu has done excellently well in the past five months, laying the foundation for a renewed hope and the only responsibility we owe him is to continue to extend our support to his administration as it weathers through the myriads of challenges in the country.

“We must not sit and watch while some wicked and selfish individuals that parade themselves as democrats and with the active support of some external forces destroy our democracy. They have come under various nomenclatures in recent times. However, we are convinced that their plots against Nigeria will fail as usual,” he said.

Attah called on all Nigerians to extend their support to the administration of President Bola Tinubu, saying the unity of Nigeria is sacrosanct.

He charged Nigerians to do all within their means to ensure that all those that have conspired and ganging up against the unity and democracy of the country are put to shame.

Also speaking at the event, Executive Director of the Centre for Public Accountability, Olufemi Lawson, said: “Nigeria’s Democracy has come to stay and Nigerians must use every legitimate means, to resist the desperate attempts, by politicians, who are not satisfied, with the democratic leadership of the country.”