By Christopher Oji
Convener, Vanguard Liberation, Aghedo Stephen, has called on Nigerians who intend to participate in the anti-hunger protest beginning on Thursday not to be destructive.
The rights activist said as much as Nigerians have the constitutional right to protest, they should be patriotic to maintain law and order.
Aghedo, who has been involved in a number of civil protests and demonstrations all over the country, at a press conference yesterday in Lagos, expressed the readiness of Nigerians, including his group, to protest against hunger. However, he cautioned that people should not be violent, but peaceful.
He said he did not expect violence tomorrow and subsequent days of the protest, especially in Lagos, as he was aware that the Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, and his men were ready to ensure peaceful coordination of the protest and provide security for citizens.
According to Aghedo, he had the privilege of having a one-and-one discussion with the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, informing him of people’s readiness to stage the protest on Thursday. Beaming with confidence on the preparedness for the peaceful rally, Comrade Aghedo also added that what previous commissioners of police, including the retired CP Hakeem Odumosu could not curtail as head honchos of the police force in Lagos State as regards ensuring peaceful protest, CP Fayoade has been able to achieve gallantly by applying optimum professionalism in activating law and order.
Aghedo said that with the rate at which poverty and hunger were worsening in this country, the people have all the right to come out to convey the painful message to the government. He added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was involved in several protests and struggles against bad governance in the country in the past before he emerged as President. Now that his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, caused problems in the country, it is vital for him to allow the people to protest against the scorching level of the country’s economy.
“My take is, protest is a constitutional right. Protest under United Nations Congress Law is a right, under EU and ECOWAS also.
So, we just want a peaceful protest whereby an element outside what you stand for will not be breached, law and order should not be breached.”
He stressed further that as an activist, he had all the civic rights to support the wishes of the masses as it pertains to demanding their democratic rights and confronting any situation that may be detrimental to their existence as citizens of the country. He added that, for over two decades, he has always been at the forefront of defending the people’s rights through peaceful protests and respect for the country’s rule of law.
“President Tinubu can feel what the masses are feeling and that is not a big deal. The protest will come and go. The aims and objectives of the protest is that the government should do the needful and it’s just about calling the consciousness of people that have held this country to ransom that this cannot continue.”