- Threaten to resume protest October 1
Organisers of #EndBadGovernance protest, the Coalition of Concerned Nigerian Citizens, have cried out over what they termed the abandonment of their demands by the Federal and State Governments since they suspended their nationwide demonstration against hunger and bad governance in the country.
Instead of rolling out policies on their demands for good governance, they accused President Bola Tinubu and governors of the federation of worsening the woes of the Nigerian populace within the few weeks they called off the nationwide protest.
Some of the protesters had suspended the demonstration after presenting their demands to state governments.
However, briefing the media on Wednesday in Osogbo, capital of Osun State, the coordinator of the group, Ajala Adetunji, flanked by other leaders of the group, threatened that the nationwide protest would resume on October 1, 2024 if governments fail to act on their demands and ameliorate the suffering of the masses.
Reiterating the group’s demands, he said, “Our demands are clear: For a better and more responsive government that prioritises the welfare of her citizens is expected to have; let the public be aware of what has been put in place after the suspension of the first protest. Asides from the removal of tax on food items which we hope will ameliorate hunger and poverty, it is expected other indicators to end hunger and inflation would be worked on by the Federal Goverment.
“In Osun State, we made the difficult decision to suspend the protest, believing that the government at both state and federal level deserved the benefit of doubt, we hoped that by stepping back, we could create space for meaningful dialogue, a chance to work together to find the best solutions to ease the burdens on our people. However, it is with great disappointment that as we stand before you today, nothing considerable has been done.”
Lamenting that the hardship in the country has exacerbated, Adetunji stated, “Instead of the relief we sought, the situation has grown increasingly. The ongoing fuel scarcity has crippled daily life, driving up the cost of living to unbearable levels. And now, in a move that can only be described as a gross misjudgment, the government has banned students under 18 years old from writing WAEC and NECO examinations. This decision not only misplaces priorities but also denies our youth the basic right to education and a future.”
He added, “As if these hardships were not enough, we learned with shock and disbelief that the Federal Goverment purchased a private aircraft for the presidency, an extravagant expense that comes at a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling to make ends meet. This blatant disregard for the procurement process, coupled with the government’s indifference to the suffering of the masses speaks volume about the current administration’s priorities.
“Our patience is not infinite. We have been reasonable, we have been patient, but we will not be ignored. If the government continues to turn a deaf ear to the cries of the people, they should brace themselves for the mother of all protests on October 1st as the citizens will not continue to fold hand on continuous increase of food and basic needs without a corresponding measures to curb the unfortunate inflation.”
