Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana has lambasted Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

This followed a condescending remark he made about Nigerians protesting the economic hardship in the country.

Akpabio, in the building up the #EndBadGovernance protest last week, had said those who wanted to protest could do so while he and other persons loyal to president Bola Tinubu will continue eating from his administration.

“While you protest, we shall be eating,” Akpabio had said.

He came under fire for the remark with many Nigerians describing the comment as insensitive and demanding his resignation as the number three citizen.

Speaking on the furore, Falana in a statement he signed and made available to newsmen on Sunday, said Akpabio’s statement was provocative.

The legal luminary also accused the government of resorting to “a vicious campaign of blackmail and calumny” to discredit the legitimate grievances of the protesters.

“Instead of addressing the demands of the youths, the federal government and some state governments embarked on a vicious campaign of blackmail and calumny,” Falana said.

He further decried the provocative statements made by other top government officials, including Vice President Kashim Shettima who labeled the protesters “idiots.”

Falana also condemned the government’s efforts to stifle the protests, including the use of ex parte orders to restrict protest locations and the deployment of thugs to disrupt the demonstrations.