Nigeria @64: Pressure mounts on Independence Day as Nigerians protest hardship twice in two months
…We’ll not be deterred – Sowore vows as police deploy personnel
…No procession, rally will be allowed in Abuja – AIG
…Atiku warns of democratic erosion, says Nigeria’s progress threatened by lack of political inclusivity
…Nigeria still a crawling giant at 64 – CUPP
By Sodiq Adelakun
As Nigeria celebrates its 64th independence day, the country is witnessing a surge in protests against economic hardship, hunger, insecurity, with Nigerians taking to the streets for the second time in two months.
With the country’s independence day serving as a backdrop, the protests have taken on a sense of urgency, highlighting the need for immediate action to address the economic woes plaguing the nation.
President Bola Tinubu delivered a nationwide broadcast today, October 1st, 2024, at 7 am to commemorate Nigeria’s 64th Independence Anniversary.
Recall that Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately dialogue with the leaders of protesters planning to take to the streets on October 1, 2024.
The CSOs, including the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Transparency International (TI), and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), expressed disappointment with the government’s failure to initiate discussions with the protesters and address their grievances.
“President Tinubu promised to hold dialogue with protesters and Nigerian stakeholders, but he has not followed through. This signals that the government may not be willing to address the concerns that led to the August protests,” said Awwal Musa Rafsanjani, leader of the CSOs.
Rafsanjani urged Tinubu to demonstrate genuine commitment by engaging in meaningful dialogue to resolve the issues Nigerians are facing.
…We’ll not be deterred – Sowore vows as police deploy personnel
Meanwhile, Organisers of the October 1 protest against hardship in the country have insisted they would proceed with the ‘showdown’ despite warnings from the Federal Government and the Nigerian Police Force.
Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate and activist, and one of the leaders of the planned Oct 1 protest, said, “NO GOING BACK! #FearlessInOctober.”
The nationwide protest will hold at the Eagles Square Abuja, according to Sowore.
“The protests will hold across all parts of Nigeria because the scale of the devastation, hunger, insecurity, and hardship that this government has unleashed on Nigerians is national. I will emphasise again that these will be peaceful protests, as they’ve always been.
“The last protests were peaceful, yet the government met the protesters with batons and bullets. We will not be deterred, though. Our only weapon is truth, and no amount of force or violence will prevent us from speaking truth to power,” Sowore said.
He added, “Between the last protest just two months ago and now, petrol prices have risen by almost N300 per litre. The naira has further devalued, and prices have increased in the market. Bandits have taken over and killed off entire communities. Floods are devastating our cities.
“Under these circumstances, can anyone be surprised that the Nigerian people want to voice their displeasure with this government’s failure to address the issues affecting them? We are prepared to come out to protest. We are determined to do so peacefully. I can assure you that thousands of voices will be raised in protest on October 1. The pangs of hunger and groans of pain of the Nigerian people will not be drowned out by the government.”
In the same vein, the Nigerian Police have warned against any form of unauthorised protest or procession on October 1, 2024, as the country marks its 64th Independence Day.
Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Benneth Igweh, declared that no group will be allowed to embark on any form of protest or rally in Abuja, stressing that the police are ready to protect the citizens and guarantee their safety as long as they act within the ambit of the law.
“We have a lot of intelligence at our disposal that some miscreants, including members of the proscribed Islamic Movements of Nigeria (Shiites), want to take to the streets to protest. This cannot be allowed because they have been proscribed. They don’t have the right of assembly. They don’t have the right of procession,” Igweh said.
He added, “Tomorrow, anybody or group that wants to flout the law, we will be ready for them. If anybody decides to join them, congratulations to them.”
Igweh emphasised that the Police Command in FCT has not received any letter or application for any protest march, stressing that protesters should stay away from Abuja.
“Protest is allowed if it is within the ambit of the law. But if your protest is not within the ambit of the law, we will tell you that the law exists and the law must be obeyed,” he said.
…Atiku warns of democratic erosion, says Nigeria’s progress threatened by lack of political inclusivity
Also, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emphasised the need for collective effort to achieve the democratic ideals of the nation’s founders.
“Our nation has traversed numerous tumultuous phases, yet the tenacity of patriotic citizens has fortified our resolve as a resilient entity,” he said.
Despite acknowledging the country’s long-standing democracy, Atiku expressed concerns about the slow progress in fostering political inclusivity and ensuring free and fair elections.
“While democracy has anchored our institutions in the principles of the rule of law, we have yet to achieve satisfactory progress in fostering political inclusivity and ensuring elections that are genuinely free and fair,” he remarked.
Atiku lamented the weakening of opposition parties and the growing influence of the ruling party over the electoral process, which threatens the credibility of elections.
“Our political milieu has become corrosive; opposition parties languish in weakness, while the ruling party appears to manipulate internal processes to render them ineffectual.
“Nigeria teeters on the brink of a one-party dictatorship, and it is incumbent upon all politicians and statesmen of integrity to rise and reclaim our democracy from the encroaching shadows of oppression,” he declared.
He urged political leaders across all affiliations to come together and reclaim Nigeria’s democracy from those seeking to undermine it.
“Our founding fathers united under a common cause, championing our independence through peaceful, political activism. What we celebrate today is the fruition of their collective endeavours and those of subsequent generations,” Atiku said, stressing the importance of prioritising national interest over personal or partisan gains.
Atiku appealed for the formation of a credible opposition coalition, capable of challenging the ruling party and offering Nigerians a robust democratic choice in future elections.
“It is incumbent upon all politicians and statesmen of integrity to rise and reclaim our democracy from the encroaching shadows of oppression,” he reiterated.
…Nigeria still a crawling giant at 64 – CUPP
In a related development, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has described the country as a crawling giant, citing bad leadership as the major cause.
In a statement released by CUPP’s national spokesperson, Comrade Mark Adebayo, the coalition lamented that each administration in the country has been worse than the last, leaving Nigerians with nothing to celebrate.
According to CUPP, the country’s leadership has been “crude, unpatriotic, incompetent, and myopic” since independence in 1960, resulting in a decline in critical infrastructure and standard of living for Nigerians.
The coalition also criticised the current administration, saying it has inflicted pain, suffering, and hunger on Nigerians, with food, education, health, and security out of reach for 90 percent of the population.
CUPP urged Nigerians to support the opposition to rescue the country from its current state and give citizens a breathing space from the dire situation.
“Nigeria is a crawling giant due, fundamentally, to the unfortunate succession of crude, heavily corrupt, unpatriotic, incompetent, and myopic leadership that has bedevilled this country since flag independence,” CUPP said.
