FG’s ‘political interest’ worsened protest in Kano, coalition alleges

A coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations has alleged the Federal Government’s political interest as part of the factors that worsened #EndBadGovernance protest in Kano.

The five organizations in a statement issued Thursday in Kano worried that an unhealthy relationship between the ruling political party and the state government aggravated the situation in Kano.

The coalition includes Kano Concerned Citizens’ Initiative, Kano Leadership Enlightenment and Advocacy for Development, Kano Youth Promotion Council, Northern Reform Organization, and Kano Peace and Development Initiative.

The coalition said that the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest did not occur in a vacuum, and claimed that the Federal Government failed to understand the frustrations and impact of social media as an influencer of the demonstrations.

The groups wondered why the government deliberately neglected the consequences of the youth demonstration despite the early warning but rather placed emphasizes on the identity and leadership of the protesters.

“This clearly shows that the Federal Government does not understand the frustrations and outlook of the youths, impact of social media especially its influence on perceptions and views, and the power of its connectivity,” they said.

“The relationship between the Federal Government and the Kano State Government is not healthy and it has been politicized as if Kano State is the only opposition State in Nigeria. This unhealthy relationship aggravated the situation in the State. It also provided the opportunity for some unscrupulous politicians to hijack the protest.”

The coalition however urged the federal government to address the stern cause of poverty and hunger and deploy strong mechanisms to end insecurity in Northern Nigeria as a leading way to check future uprisings.

The groups particularly challenged the government to take immediate steps to end banditry in the North West and terrorist activities in the North East and North Central, insisting no excuses would be accepted to allow further destruction of Nigeria by bandits

They called for the entrenchment of true federalism in the country where state government would function as stated in the constitution.