THE #EndBadGovernance protesters have converged at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, on Monday, to continue their demonstration despite the nationwide broadcast by President Bola Tinubu.
The determination to continue the pretest follows a Sunday statement by the organisers signed by Hassan Taiwo, Ayoyinka Oni and Adegboyega Adeniji, on behalf of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria Organising Committee, saying the address by President Bola Tinubu had yet to address their demands.
They said they had listened with rapt attention to President Tinubu’s broadcast on Sunday and “consider it rather unfortunate” that it took President Tinubu three days of protest to address the country.
Tinubu had affirmed in the nationwide broadcast on Sunday that his administration was ready to listen to and address the concerns of protesters, affirming that he had heard their calls “loud and clear.”
“I hereby enjoin protesters and the organisers to suspend any further protest and create room for dialogue, which I have always acceded to at the slightest opportunity,” the president said.
The organisers noted that they consider the decision to address the nation an “important victory for our movement.”
“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.
While taking note of Tinubu’s offer of dialogue, they noted that they were concerned that in the same breadth, the President had also ordered that the protest be suspended.
“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 statement condemned the scenario “where thugs attacked protesters who had gathered for Sunday morning worship thereby injuring many.”
It added, “So we therefore call on all Nigerian youth and mass of the people to join us by 7 am at Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos tomorrow (Monday) August 5, 2024, which is Day 5 of the protest.”
Our correspondent at the scene of the protest said security forces fired teargas at the Moshood Abiola Stadium on Monday morning.
IN Kaduna on Monday, as youth in large numbers took to the streets to demand an end to bad governance and economic hardship.
Armed with flags of different colours and placards with various inscriptions, the protesters marched along the Constitution Road down to the stadium roundabout in the Kaduna State capital, while other groups were also seen protesting along the Ungwan Sariki Ali Akilu Road, demanding the removal of fuel subsidy and improved economic conditions.
Today’s protest comes after demonstrations were suspended last Thursday after the protest turned violent midway.
Following the Renewed Protest security has been up along all the major roads and government offices to avert any breakdown of law and order.
Not even the presence of the police could stop the determined protesters, as they marched from the stadium roundabout to Ahmadu Bello way down to the NEPA roundabout and Ali Akilu Road.
The protesters could be heard chanting anti-government slogans in the Hausa language, and holding Russian flags, calling on President Bola Tinubu to resign.
Junction at Roundabout, as they take to the streets to demand an end to bad governance and economic hardship.
Many of them were seen carting away with generating sets, roofing sheets, office chairs, door burglaries and other items.
Meanwhile, security forces have stopped the protesters from moving beyond the NEPA roundabout.
Among the protesters are minors as young as five years.
This development comes 24 hours after President Tinubu in his address on Sunday, urged protesters to discontinue the protests.