The Coalition of Pro-Democracy Groups for a Better Nigeria has stressed the need for President Bola Tinubu to address the nation in order to ease the tension of the mass protest scheduled to commence nationwide on Thursday.
The coalition’s national coordinator, Comrade Awa Bamiji, said this became imperative following reports that the protest had been hijacked by the initiator.
The statement read, “After a week of assessing the planned protest, we realised that those who are at the forefront of fanning the embers of violence and destruction on social media are neither in Nigeria nor the initiator of the protest. They hijacked it as usual, for their selfish reasons, in order to destroy lives and properties.
“The initiator, Mallam Murtala Garba, has backed down, having realised that his idea has been stolen by these rebellious elements and desperate merchants of evil trade, seeking regular attention through their usual protests on fixed dates, May 29, June 12, and October 1, since they have been contesting and losing elections.
“A peaceful protest implies getting a police permit for security coverage and avoiding disturbances of public peace.
“Their 10 days of rage, 10 days of disturbance, and 10 days of no peace do not guarantee all these.
“As pro-democracy groups, we know that any national protest that does not involve the following credible organisations: the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), National Women Council of Nigeria (NWCN), National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Nigerian Youth Congress (NYC), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), religious bodies, traditional rulers, and major ethnic groups like Arewa, Afenifere, and Ohanaeze, will have a hidden agenda, and organisers won’t be bold enough to seek a police permit, as it happened during the 2020 #EndSARS protest.
“While insurgency, hunger, and inflation are global phenomena at the moment and all of us are feeling them, we must at the same time draw our attention to the major factors that are responsible for our peculiar problems in Nigeria,” he said.
Awa, who quoted some notable Nigerians such as the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido; Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo; former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili; former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; and Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said: “Whatever the state of the economy is today was prophesied by some Nigerians long ago.”
“The only problem is that we have a short memory to remember everything that happened to us at the time.
“Prof. Soludo wrote to Nigerians that they will suffer irrespective of the party that wins the 2023 election. We ignored Emir Sanusi, Oby Ezekwesili, Godswill Akpabio, and Okonjo-Iweala’s warnings. We are now celebrating plans to protest. Over what? The warnings or that we did not listen and act?” he queried.
The activist also noted that Obono Obla, the sacked chairman of the Special Investigative Panel on the Recovery of Public Properties during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, claimed that he was sacked while investigating mismanagement of $20 billion, adding that “none of our anti-graft agencies deem it fit till now to invite him for a thorough investigation amidst the claims.”
He added that the time is now for President Tinubu to address the nation about his economic reforms and policies.
“As the bulk stops at his table, it is now time for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to address the nation on the issues of ceaseless corruption within the system, his humble efforts so far at alleviating our long-suffering, and why we must be patient with him, having recorded some landmark achievements within a year of his administration.
“With our collective understanding of the reforms and sacrifices, a better Nigeria is achievable, albeit gradually,” he added.
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