By Vincent Kalu
Northern elders have endorsed the nationwide protests.
The group, in a statement by Prof. Usman Yusuf, Hajia Najatu Muhammad, Mallam Salihu Lukman and Dr. Umar Ardo said the constitution protects the right of all citizens to assemble and to protest, adding that the cause for protest against the system is valid and justifiable, and affirmed their support for the youths in their resolve to exercise their right to protest.
The press statement read in part: “As you are aware, our nation has long been facing unprecedented challenges of insecurity, excruciating poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, diseases, high cost of living, all on account of bad governance and corruption in public offices.
“We acknowledge that the primary purpose of any government is to secure life and property, and enhance the welfare of its citizens. Any regime that cannot guarantee these basic rights loses all legal and moral authority of being in power, and would naturally incur the wrath of citizens. It can therefore only remain in office more by default than by public consent.
“This seems to be the state our dear country, Nigeria, is drifting towards. Over the years, successive governments at all levels, including the incumbent ones, fell short of delivering the requisite leadership. Consequently, Nigerians have been thrown into a state of social dislocation that has plunged citizens, especially the youths, into disillusionment, disappointment, frustration and hopelessness.
“To press home their legitimate demands concerning the cost of living crisis, insecurity and the worrisome drift in the ship of state, Nigerian youths have resolved to go on a 10 day nationwide protest from the 1st to 10th August, 2024.
“We, therefore, wrote this special text to state our position concerning this resolve to protest and the attitude of the government to it.
“First, we want to affirm the constitutionally protected right of all citizens to assemble and to protest. We also acknowledge that the cause for protest against the system is valid and justifiable. We wish to state clearly that we firmly stand by our youths in their resolve to exercise their right to protest.”
“They called on the federal government to be pragmatic in its approach to the resolution of the crisis if it hopes to amicably resolve and mitigate the risks associated with mass protests, and recommended that the government immediately takes to address the situation, which includes identifying and directly engage with the youth leaders and protesters to understand and address their grievances, noting that, outsourcing this responsibility to others, such as traditional, religious, labour, civil society leaders won’t work.
“They also warned against the use of state forces to intimidate, cajole and harass protesters, which they pointed can only further escalate an already volatile situation, citing the EndSARS protests as example.
They further advised the government to sincerely address the demands of the protesters by implementing meaningful reforms, demonstrating goodwill and a commitment to change by investing in youth development programmes, education, innovation, entrepreneurship initiatives.
“They also called on the government and its leadership to lead by example, by demonstrating sacrifice, integrity, accountability and transparency so as to inspire trust and confidence, adding, “having been in the trenches himself leading several protests, from the NADECO days to 2014, President Tinubu knows more than others the value of protest.”