Former Vice President and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, has reaffirmed Nigerians’ constitutional right to protest.
This comes in response to the Federal Government’s warnings and accusations regarding the planned August 1 protest titled ‘#EndBadGovernance’.
Bayo Onanuga, an aide to President Bola Tinubu, recently accused Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last general election, and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of masterminding the protest. He suggested they should be held responsible for any incidents during the demonstration. Various government security agencies have also cautioned organizers to avoid the protest.
Addressing the situation on his X handle, Atiku emphasized the constitutional guarantee of the right to peaceful assembly and association.
“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,” he tweeted.
He criticized the government for diverting attention from the real issues affecting Nigerians, stating, “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.”
Atiku also highlighted the irony of the current administration’s stance, noting that many of its members previously led protests.
“It is deeply ironic that those who now seek to stifle these rights were themselves leading protests in 2012,” he remarked.
Concluding his statement, Atiku called on the government to respect and protect citizens’ rights.
“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,” he asserted.