The organisers of the #EndBadGovernance protest in Lagos State, Nigeria, have declared their intention to resume their demonstration at Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota on Monday, August 5, 2024. This decision comes despite recent remarks made by President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement released on Sunday, Hassan Taiwo, Ayoyinka Oni, and Adegboyega Adeniji, representing the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria Organising Committee, expressed disappointment over President Tinubu’s delayed response to the protests.
The statement follows President Tinubu’s address earlier on Sunday, in which he acknowledged the protesters’ concerns and urged them to halt their demonstrations and engage in dialogue.
“We consider the President’s decision to address the nation an important victory for our movement,” the organisers said.
“Without our courage and resolve to dare the odds, even this acknowledgement would not have happened. So far, we have demonstrated that a President is not greater than the rest of the country,” the statement read.
The group criticised the President for using a two-pronged strategy: advocating for dialogue while simultaneously insisting on ending the protests. Furthermore, they denounced recent acts of violence against demonstrators, such as assaults by hooligans during a Sunday morning religious gathering and an incident in which a protester was visibly struck on television.
“In our view, the President cannot be approbating and reprobating at the same time. The President cannot offer an olive branch while at the same time holding a dagger to our throat,” the trio said.
The organisers have called on the general public, especially the youth, to converge at Gani Fawehinmi Park on Monday at 7 a.m. for the fifth day of the protest.
News Central’s reporter, Igbalaniyi Omoniyi, was at the venue of the protest. Watch the report below;
