The #EndBadGovernance protesters on Saturday vowed to return to the streets in a 10 million-man march across Nigeria if President Bola Tinube failed to heed their demands.
The protests themed ‘10 days of rage’ which began on August 1 saw demonstrations for 10 days across the country.
On Saturday, protesters in the Federal Capital Territory took to the streets on Saturday around Apo roundabout and Lologoma—Sunnyville.
After a brief suspension due to raids on residences and the arrest of protest organizers, the protesters resumed their demonstrations to demand urgent action from the government.
Our correspondents report that there have been heavy presence of security operatives around the Central Business District and at Eagles Square.
Regardless, as early as 7 a.m. on Saturday, the protesters came out in their numbers chanting “End hunger” and “Reverse fuel subsidy removal.”
Their placards bore messages like “Rent must be monthly,” “Bring Back corruption-free fuel subsidy,” and “If Diaspora sends us money, they must vote too.”
Speaking on behalf of the crowd, one of the protest leaders, Sanusi Abiodun, stated, “Today is August 10, 2024, earlier on we declared 10 days of rage to end bad governance in Nigeria. However, it is now open that President Bola Tinubu is not ready to listen to the demands of Nigerians, nor does he want to accede to our demands.
“Today is the final day of rage, and we will be leaving the streets today, and we are promising the Nigerian government and President Tinubu that we are coming back unless he accedes to our demands, and this time we will be declaring a 10 million-man march across Nigeria.”
Sanusi noted that the protest was aimed at drawing attention to the government’s failure to address pressing issues, and the frustration of Nigerians over the current state of affairs in the country.
THE WHISTLER reported that President Tinubu, on Sunday, called for an end to the nationwide protests to allow dialogue with the government.
In a broadcast addressing the 10-day protests that rocked several states, Tinubu expressed pain over the loss of lives and destruction of property that have occurred.
“I am especially pained by the loss of lives in Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and other states, the destruction of public facilities in some states, and the wanton looting of supermarkets and shops, contrary to the promise of protest organisers that the protest would be peaceful across the country. The destruction of properties sets us back as a nation, as scarce resources will be again used to restore them,” he said.
While commiserating with families of those who died during the ongoing protests, Tinubu called for an immediate halt to further bloodshed and destruction, saying he has heard the protesting youths “loud and clear”.
He said, “My dear Nigerians, especially our youth, I have heard you loud and clear. I understand the pain and frustration that drive these protests, and I want to assure you that our government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of our citizens.
“But we must not let violence and destruction tear our nation apart. We must work together to build a brighter future, where every Nigerian can live with dignity and prosperity.
“The task before us is a collective one, and I am leading the charge as your President. A lot of work has gone into stabilising our economy and I must stay focused on ensuring that the benefits reach every single Nigerian as promised.
“My administration is working very hard to improve and expand our national infrastructure and create more opportunities for our young people.
“Let nobody misinform and miseducate you about your country or tell you that your government does not care about you. Although there have been many dashed hopes in the past, we are in a new era of Renewed Hope. We are working hard for you, and the results will soon be visible and concrete for everyone to see, feel, and enjoy.
“Let us work together to build a brighter future for ourselves and for generations to come. Let us choose hope over fear, unity over division, and progress over stagnation. The economy is recovering; Please, don’t shut out its oxygen. Now that we have been enjoying democratic governance for 25 years, do not let the enemies of democracy use you to promote an unconstitutional agenda that will set us back on our democratic journey. forward ever, backward never!” said Tinubu.
He enjoined the protesters to “suspend any further protest and create room for dialogue, which I have always acceded to at the slightest opportunity.”
The president also issued a stern warning against ethnic bigotry and threats targeting the Igbo people of the South East section of the country that have emerged amid the unrest.
“To those who have taken undue advantage of this situation to threaten any section of this country, be warned: The law will catch up with you. There is no place for ethnic bigotry or such threats in the Nigeria we seek to build,” Tinubu declared.
He added that the nation’s progress requires all citizens to work together “regardless of age, party, tribe, religion or other divides.”
Addressing the root causes of the economic challenges causing the economic hardship, President Tinubu defended his administration’s decision to remove fuel subsidy and unify the foreign exchange market.
He described these as “painful yet necessary” actions to reverse decades of economic mismanagement.
“For decades, our economy has remained anaemic and taken a dip because of many misalignments that have stunted our growth,” Tinubu explained.
He added that the removal of subsidy and multiple foreign exchange systems was crucial to block “the greed and the profits that smugglers and rent-seekers made” at the expense of the nation’s economy.
Tinubu further mentioned some positive economic indicators since implementing these policies, including doubled government revenues and reduced debt service ratios.
He also outlined ongoing initiatives aimed at easing the economic burden on citizens, such as the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) program to reduce transportation costs and the establishment of a Consumer Credit Corporation to facilitate purchases without immediate cash payments.