In a surprise move, youth groups have called for the cancellation of the planned #EndBadGovernance Protest, hours to the scheduled date, August 1.
The call for cancellation comes after a town hall meeting with the House of Representatives on Wednesday at the National Assembly Complex.
During the meeting, Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu addressed the youth, acknowledging their right to protest but also cautioning them to consider the potential consequences of their actions.
“The right to protest is yours, you have every right to protest. It’s your right. But remember, all things, all things, may be necessary, but not all things are expedient,” he said.
The deputy speaker further emphasized the importance of being mindful of the company they keep and the potential for others to hijack their movement for nefarious purposes.
He added: “There are so many of them that will join this movement who want to destroy what we are trying to build. And how do we stop that?
“Those who want to break that transformer you see on the road, how do you intend to stop them?
“Remember what happened during the #ENDSARS. The objective was good, the initiative was good. But were you able to manage it?”
Later, Speaker Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas addressed the youth, announcing plans to establish a communication mechanism with the youth and encouraging them to put their issues and suggestions in writing.
“Today we have planned one critical area that perhaps we have not been able to announce in the future.
“And that is effective communication between the youth and the national assembly. I also realize during these engagements that there is so much communication gap between the youth and the executives.
“Not only with the youth, but with the general public. So much has been done by this government, but the way it is being disseminated to the people needs so much to be desired,” the speaker stated.
He also acknowledged the youth’s constitutional right to protest but cautioned them to ensure that protests are peaceful and do not allow hoodlums to take over.
After the meeting, the groups started chanting “All we are saying, no more protests”, indicating their commitment to finding alternative ways to address their grievances.
The youth groups have not given a specific reason for the cancellation, but it is believed that the meetings with the Deputy Speaker and Speaker may have played a role in their decision.
Among groups present are the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Nigeria Youth Parliament, Youth based CSOs, Youth based NGOS, National Youth Assembly of Nigeria, and Northern Youth Assembly of Nigeria.
The #EndBadGovernance Protest was planned to draw attention to issues of governance and accountability in the country.