A former senator who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th National Assembly, Shehu Sani, has cautioned Nigerians against participating in the nationwide protest scheduled for August 1st to 10th, 2024.
Sani stated that the organisers of the movement are faceless with no clear leadership direction.
The former lawmaker led this out while speaking with journalists in Kaduna on Thursday.
The Peoples Democratic Party’s chieftain, also highlighted the devastating impact of bandit attacks on Southern Kaduna, and urged Nigerians to exercise their right to peaceful protest while avoiding violent demonstrations.
He said: “It is important that we bring back our conscience to the fact that Nigeria is a democracy. People have the right to express their opinions, criticise the government and protest peacefully.
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“I have been a protester all my life and President Bola Tinubu has also been a protester too but we were peaceful protesters. Protesters that demanded justice; protesters that demanded freedom and protesters that demanded for people’s friendly policies.
“Now, the problem we are having now is that there are issues that we need to address. A protest needs two things: firstly, it’s a purpose. Of course, its purpose is that people are suffering in the country.
“But also a protest needs a visible leader. When a protest has no leader, the tendency of that protest to metamorphose into violence is apparent.
“We are from a state that comes from the past that had experiences of violence that began with protest. So, I can say that our constitution guarantees protection for peaceful protesters but peaceful protesters can only be protected if the leaders drive the process peacefully. We cannot participate in a protest that has no leadership.
“We cannot participate in a protest that is called by spirit. We can only participate in a protest that is called by either labour or organized civil society. A protest must have an identity. If it does not have an identity, the tendency to degenerate into violence and chaos is apparent.”
