Protests: Groups urge Nigerians to shelve plan

• Coalition laments FG’s poor handling of hardship
• Adelabu says those behind Nigeria’s decadence are sponsors

The Coalition of Civil Society for Good Governance has expressed displeasure over the action of the Federal Government for not engaging the citizens over the current economic hardship in the country.

According to the coalition, lack of communication between the people and the government, particularly in the areas of policies, had further heightened tensions nationwide, hence, the need for the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to urgently address the situation.

Coordinator of the Coalition, Dotun Ajulo, while addressing newsmen at the NUJ Press Centre in Akure, Ondo State capital, on the planned nationwide protest, stressed that the nature of the protest calls for concern due to its facelessness.

He said: “We are all aware that the democracy in the country was borne out of protest. But the interesting thing about those forms of protest is that they all have a name for them.”

HOWEVER, a group, Women Initiative for Family Economy (WIFE), has asked Nigerians to shelve the planned protest because of its negative implication for the country’s economy.

The group said that while the right to peaceful protest is enshrined in Nigeria’s Constitution and is a powerful tool for voicing concerns, Nigerians must carefully consider the potential consequences.

Convener of the group and rights activist, Aisha Abdulkadir, during a media briefing, yesterday, said the #EndSARS protest that began as a peaceful demand for the end of police brutality tragically escalated into widespread chaos that led businesses to shutter and daily life came to a halt.

According to her, a nationwide protest at this juncture could lead Nigeria down a similar path of disruption and hardship.

Abdulkadir said significant investments in infrastructure projects are under way and would create jobs and stimulate economic activity, building a stronger foundation for future growth.

She, therefore, gave the assurance that the government is committed to engaging in open and constructive dialogue with all stakeholders.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has urged Nigerians to stay off the planned protest since those pushing for it are beneficiaries of decadence in the country.

The minister said that those who have benefited from the country’s corrupt system and mismanagement are now sponsoring the protest to further their selfish interest.

Adelabu, who spoke, yesterday, in Ibadan at the “Oyo State Youth Stakeholders Engagement,” represented by former Deputy National Youth Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Afeez Reprete, said that the protest is not a genuine expression of the people’s grievances, but rather a ploy by those who want to maintain the status quo and continue to exploit the country’s resources for their own benefit.

He, therefore, urged Nigerians to be wary of the protest and not allow themselves to be used by those who have contributed to the country’s problems.

In her remarks, Special Assistant to the President on Youth Initiatives, Titilope Gbadamosi, said though everybody feels the hardship, urged Nigerians to shelve the protest.