Tinubu don’t go to sleep! you haven’t met protesters’ demands, 13 CSOs tell him, urge him to convey meeting with them
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Election monitoring body Yiaga Africa and 12 other civil society organisations (CSO) have reminded Bola Tinubu of his refusal to meet the demands of hunger protesters even though many did not turn up at meeting points on the sixth day, today, in Abuja and Lagos because of intimidation by security forces.
The CSOs do not want him to assume all is now well after his uninspiring broadcast on Sunday that many Nigerians have panned, or to brag about his own political strength and reach, as he did on July 25 when he thumbed his chest before clerics and traditional rulers he singlehandedly used his “personal fortune” to fund his election.
Lagos did not see violence in the first five days of the agitation, thanks to humane policing spearheaded by Police Commissioner Adegoke Fayoade whose professionalism included ensuring the supply of snacks and drinking water to the protesters on day two, last Friday.
Police in Lagos exhibited a show of force on the protest grounds in Ojota on day five, yesterday, intimidating without necessarily attacking them physically.
Abuja has, however, come under heavy high handedness from Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike who, based on approval from Tinubu, has directed police to fire bullets and tear gas canisters at unarmed protesters.
All of these partly explain why the youths stayed away from the protest in Abuja and Lagos on day six – which may be a deceptive lull before another storm.
The 13 CSOs that declared Tinubu is yet to meet the demands of the protesters are:
- Yiaga Africa
- Accountability Lab Nigeria
- BudgIT Foundation
- Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development CJID
- Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria
- #FixPolitics
- Global Rights
- Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA)
- Media Rights Agenda (MRA)
- Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC)
- Sesor Empowerment Foundation
- TechHer
- Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC)
“Over the last few weeks, Nigerians have planned, mobilised, curated different demands, and given the government adequate notice,” they said in a joint statement.
“We recognise that citizens have taken ownership of the demand to #EndBadGovernance and have contributed to the list of demands in circulation from their pain points.
“As civil society groups and stakeholders in the polity, we have streamlined the demands based on consultations, to midwife a peaceful and holistic engagement of issues by the government.
“The issues include protect farms & farmers; human capital development; electoral reform; establish a living wage; and constitutional & judicial reforms.
“The President has expressed the government’s openness to dialogue with protesters on these demands. It is, therefore, our candid advice that this is pursued by officials and representatives of both sides with sincerity of purpose.
“This should begin with an immediate release of all arrested peaceful protesters and sanctions against security agents who attacked unharmed peaceful protesters.”
“We remind the government that should security forces continue to aggravate protesters, it may become difficult to broker dialogue. It is our recommendation that representatives of the National Peace Committee and reputable civil society groups serve as facilitators and observers of this dialogue process and its outcomes.
“The protesters have said they will continue their peaceful demands on the streets until Saturday, August 10. We urge the federal government to concede the low-hanging requests as a reassurance of its commitment to citizen-centered governance and leadership.’’
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Related articles:
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Woman escalates hunger protest in Lagos, puts empty cooking pot on head to dramatise her desperation
RULAAC calls Tinubu’s govt despotic in reaction to clampdown on #EndBadGovernance protesters
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