A coalition of civil society organisations operating under the banner of the 40Million Ballots Movement (40MB) has issued a pre-action notice and announced plans to hold a peaceful protest over the cancellation of its event in Lagos.

The protest is scheduled to be held on Thursday, 26 February 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the National Judicial Council (NJC), located within the Supreme Court Complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja.

The pre-action notice and protest are being coordinated by the 40Million Ballots Movement in collaboration with other civil society organisations, including CISCAES and the Hope for Our Generation Economic Empowerment Coalition (HOGEEC).

In a statement released by the coalition, the groups referenced a court order obtained on Friday, 28 November 2025, at the High Court of Enugu State, which they say affected plans to convene the “Enugu Economic Survival Summit.” The summit had been scheduled to take place on Sunday, 30 November 2025, at the Radisson Blu Hotel on Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The organisers stated that the court order led to the disruption of the event and resulted in financial and logistical losses.

They added that, following consultations with legal practitioners, they resolved to seek further clarification and redress through lawful and civic means, in line with democratic principles and the rule of law.

According to the coalition, the planned protest is a pro-democracy civil society action intended to highlight broader concerns about due process, judicial integrity, and the protection of civic rights.

The group emphasised that the action is peaceful and aimed at drawing institutional attention to issues affecting civil society engagement.

The organisers reiterated their commitment to lawful engagement, constructive dialogue, and democratic values, noting that the action is intended to strengthen confidence in institutions and promote adherence to due process.

The summit, themed “Enugu’s Economic Haemorrhage and the Critical Need for a 2027 Political Solution,” had been designed as a high-level citizens’ forum to galvanise Enugu indigenes, democracy advocates and development stakeholders toward charting a sustainable socio-economic future for the state.

The organisers explained that the conference seeks to interrogate what it describes as the “economic vulnerabilities” facing Enugu State and the need for strategic solutions ahead of the 2027 election cycle. The programme is also expected to formally launch structures such as the Enugu Rescue Movement and the Yes-We-Can Movement, both aimed at mobilising grassroots involvement in policy dialogue and development-focused political participation.