…as PDP presidential flagbearer says ‘Leaders of 2012 protests now striving to stifle people’s rights’
President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, on Tuesday, took diametrically opposed positions on the planned nationwide protests by some groups in the country.
While President Tinubu appealed to Nigerians to shelve their planned protests against bad governance in the country, which has been scheduled for 1st August to 15th August, 2024, the PDP flagbearer lambasted and its agencies for trying to abort the planned August 1 across the country.
According to Atiku, who was also Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections.
He said it was an irony that those who protested against the administration of former President Good luck Jonathan in 2012, are the ones trying to stifle other people’s rights to protest.
Atiku said citizens have the right to protest, saying it is guaranteed by the constitution.
Read full stories below:
EndBadGovernance: Shelve planned protests, Tinubu begs Nigerians
President Bola Tinubu once again on Tuesday appealed to Nigerians to shelve planned protests against bad governance in the country scheduled for next month.
Information Minister Mohammed Idris conveyed Tinubu’s appeal to Nigerians while briefing State House correspondents after a meeting with the President on Tuesday.
Idris said Tinubu urged the organisers of the protest to shelve their plan and rather await his response to their complaints.
“The issue of the planned protest, Mr President does not see any need for that. He’s asked them to shelve that plan. He’s asked them to await the government’s response to all their pleas,” he said.
The protest against economic hardship, which is gaining traction on social media, has been scheduled to hold across all states of the Federation as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, beginning from August 1.
Recall that the prices of food and basic commodities have skyrocketed in the last months.
Currently, many Nigerians are battling one of the country’s worst inflation and economic crisis sparked by government’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex windows.
Leaders of 2012 protests now striving to stifle people’s rights – Atiku
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, on Tuesday, lambasted the Federal Government and its agencies for trying to abort the planned August 1 protest across the country.
Atiku, who was also Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, said it is also ironical that those who protested against the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012 are the ones trying to stifle other peoples rights to protest.
Tension is rising across the 36 states of the Nigerian Federation due to the ongoing plan by some youths to begin a 10-day nationwide hunger and hardship protest to draw the federal and state governments’ attention to the worsening plight of the citizens.
According to the organisers, “this hunger is too much.”
Atiku, in a post on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, said it was the right of citizens to protest, saying it is guaranteed by the constitution.
The PDP presidential flagbearer of the PDP added that what government needs to do, is to ensure a safe and secure environment for citizens to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights to peaceful protest.
Atiku said, “For the avoidance of doubt, the rights of citizens to protest are ENSHRINED in the Nigerian Constitution and AFFIRMED by our courts. Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as altered) unequivocally guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and association.
“Chasing shadows and contriving purported persons behind the planned protests is an exercise in futility when it is obvious that Nigerians, including supporters of Tinubu and the ruling APC, are caught up in the hunger, anger, and hopelessness brought about by the incompetence and cluelessness of this government.
“It is deeply ironic that those who now seek to stifle these rights were themselves leading protests in 2012. A responsible government must ensure a SAFE and SECURE environment for citizens to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights to PEACEFUL PROTEST.
“Any attempt to suppress these rights is not only unconstitutional but a direct affront to our democracy.”
