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Suspend #EndBadGovernance Protests, Embrace Dialogue, Tinubu Urges Nigerians
By Abubakar Yunusa Ojima-Ojo
President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerians to suspend the #EndBadGovernance protests and embrace dialogue.
During a broadcast on Sunday, the President assured Nigerians that his administration is focused on good governance despite the socio-economic challenges confronting Africa’s most populous nation.
Tinubu expressed pain over the loss of lives and properties in some states during the nationwide protests, saying the destruction of public and private assets sets the nation back “as scarce resources will be again used to restore them”
He also commiserated with the families and relations of those who died in the protests. “We must stop further bloodshed, violence and destruction,” he said.
The President said his administration won’t allow a few politically minded people to tear down the country under the guise of protests.
“As President of this country, I must ensure public order. In line with my constitutional oath to protect the lives and property of every citizen, our government will not stand idly by and allow a few with a clear political agenda to tear this nation apart.
“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,” he said.
‘FG Will Address Your Concerns’
“Fellow Nigerians, 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.
“I speak to you today with a heavy heart and a sense of responsibility, aware of the turmoil and violent protests unleashed in some of our states,” he added.
Since the protests started on Thursday, opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Tinubu’s contenders in the last election ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi have loudly called on him to address defiant youths who have taken to the streets to express their displeasure over the wobbling economy and the attendant hardship in the country.
Prices of food and basic commodities have gone through the roof in the last months, as Nigerians battle one of the country’s worst inflation rates and economic crises sparked by the government’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of forex windows.
Propagated on social media, the #EndBadGovernance protests against economic hardship planned for 10 days entered its third day on Saturday as resilient youths pushed on, insisting that Tinubu meets their demands.
Some of the protesters’ demands include the restoration of petrol subsidies and the forex regime. They also want the government to address food shortages, unemployment, and the wasteful spending of those in power. Other demands are a reduction of the President’s cabinet and general cost of governance, immediate reforms of the electoral umpire INEC and anti-graft agency EFCC with renewed vigour in the fight against corrupt politicians.
The protests turned awry in Kano, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Jigawa, Nasarawa and other states where rampaging hoodlums took advantage of the situation and burned vehicles, and looted warehouses and private stores. Police said seven persons died during incidents around the protests but denied that security agents killed any of the victims.
Till Day 3, policemen were seen dispersing protesters using tear gas, even as civil society organisations condemned the action of the police.
Inibehe Effiong, a human rights lawyer and counsel to Alabi Quadri, the teenager who became a viral sensation during the 2023 presidential election campaign, has accused the Lagos state police command of spreading disinformation and fabricating charges against his client.
In a statement released on X on Saturday, Effiong said the police’s version of events surrounding Quadri’s recent arrest was “laughable” and a “gross act of recklessness”.
“Our attention has been drawn to a false and provocative statement issued by the Lagos State Police Command,” the lawyer wrote.
“It is embarrassing to see the police spread fake news about an innocent Nigerian child.”
Quadri, who became an internet sensation after standing in front of Peter Obi’s convoy in Lagos last year, was reportedly arrested and remanded at a correctional centre on allegations of robbery and public disturbance in the Amukoko area of the state.
The Lagos police, through its spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin, said the teenager was arrested for his involvement in “street fighting”, claiming that victims had allegedly identified him as part of a group responsible for damage and robbery. Hundeyin also said Quadri is 18 years old.
Effiong dismissed the police account as “mischievous and deeply misleading”.
“First, we wish to restate that Quadri is not 18 years old as mischievously parroted by the police. He is 17 as contained in his birth certificate and attested to by his mother. He was born on the 29th day of September 2007,” the lawyer said.
“Second, Quadri was not involved in street fighting and did not rob anyone. He also did not damage anyone’s property.”
Effiong said Quadri was “abducted by two known area boys” identified as Lege and Baba Waris, while returning from work and was subsequently dumped at the Amukoko Police Division.
According to him, the two men have been harassing the teenager since 2023 in an attempt to extort money from donations made to him following his viral moment.
He also questioned the police’s claims that Quadri was identified by victims.
“…There was no time that our client was identified by any victim of the alleged crimes. The police should tell the public when and where the identification was done and the method used,” the lawyer added.
“How was Quadri identified by the alleged victims when no identification parade was conducted as required by law, given that the alleged offences were said to have been committed at about 10pm?”
Effiong further criticised the police for detaining his client for nearly a week before taking him to court, describing it as a violation of constitutional rights.
“It is the law that once the permissible constitutional limit for detaining a suspect has passed, a subsequent order of remand cannot cure the infringement,” the lawyer said.
He said the so-called “casemates” remanded with Quadri are adults who have no relationship with the boy, adding that the police failed to provide any explanation connecting them.
Effiong condemned the police’s insistence on pressing the narrative despite a legal advisory from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) exonerating Quadri, a development that led to his discharge by the court.
“…the Lagos State Police Command, rather than exude remorse, has chosen the ignoble path of doubling down on its acts of perfidy, shamelessness, lawlessness, and utter contempt for justice and the truth. We condemn this gross act of recklessness and irresponsibility by the police. By taking this path, the Nigeria Police Force is reminding the country that it is very far from redemption,” he said.
“We shall meet CP Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, CSP Olaniran Ismaila O. of Amukoko, Inspector Odigbe Samuel, and others in court to seek redress and compensation for Quadri.”
He added that a formal complaint would also be filed against the DPO of Amukoko at the Police Service Commission (PSC)
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Christians and other Nigerians, to leverage the lessons of Christ’s resurrection and imbibe the message of hope and victory over the nation’s current challenges.
Jonathan stated this in his Easter message, by his Special Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, on Friday in Abuja.
Jonathan encouraged Nigerians to remain positive and draw strength from Christ’s love and sacrificial death for humanity and his gift of salvation.
The former president reminded leaders to be selfless and embrace the virtues of servanthood, sacrifice and passion for service, as exemplified by Jesus Christ.
“I join millions of Christians around the world to commemorate Good Friday.
“This day reminds us all of the sacrificial death of Christ for humanity and His gift of salvation and redemption to all believers.
“This moment reminds Christians of servanthood and passion of service, as exemplified by Jesus Christ, who died to save humanity from sin and reconcile all to God.
“At Easter, we reflect on the power of Christ’s love, the gift of righteousness and the triumph of hope over despair and every challenge in life,” Jonathan said.
He further noted that the death and resurrection of Christ on the cross, awakens all to the boundless love of God toward mankind.
The former president also said that Easter also served as a reminder of the possibilities, faith in God, offered man on earth.
“I urge all citizens to be encouraged by the story of the resurrection of Christ and the lessons of hope and victory that are contained in it.
“Let us be reminded about the purpose of salvation and the essence of mercy and the triumphing power of faith and hope over all circumstances,” he said.
Jonathan also urged the citizens to remain positive of the possibilities within the nation.
He also urged Nigerians to draw strength through hope that the people would triumph over challenges they faced, both as individuals and collectively as a nation.
“This moment points us to the virtues of servanthood, sacrifice and passion for service. Let us recommit to pursuing peace and justice for all.
“As a people, let this season renew our faith, strengthen our hope and guarantee us peace.
“Let us continue to imbibe and pursue these virtues and work toward building a nation of peace, unity and love,” he said.(NAN)
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Abubakar Yunusa
Nyesom Wike has described talks about a coalition to unseat President Bola Tinubu as not sincere and believes those behind it are doing so for selfish reasons.
Wike, the Minister of the FCT, said this in Abuja on Friday during a media chat, accusing the masterminds of running away from issues bedevilling the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nigeria’s main opposition party.
He said, “those who are looking for a coalition are for selfish interests, the likes of Atiku and other people, which coalition, with whom?
“Why not come in to repair your party? Everybody wants to become president of the country, nobody wants to say, look, let me build our party so that at the end of the day, our party will be in a formidable position as an opposition party to take over power.
“You don’t do that, the only thing you want to do is let me find a way; how I will be the one, and if that does not happen, then it’s to your tent, oh Israel,” the immediate past governor of Rivers state said.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, are among political heavyweights planning to float a coalition to dislodge President Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 election.
That push has continued to make headlines in the country in the past months, but Wike said those behind it, especially members of the main opposition PDP, should fix their party instead.
Wike criticised Atiku, the arrowhead of the coalition movement, saying the ex-VP is about to make the mistakes that led to the PDP’s defeat in the 2023 presidential election.
“You make the mistake yesterday, you want to repeat the same mistake today, tomorrow you make the same mistake, and then you come out to say you were rigged out, who rigged you out? You’ve already rigged yourself by causing crisis,” Wike said.
The minister, who is a member of the PDP, also said the party is not ready for the next presidential election scheduled for 2027.
“The PDP is not ready for the 2027 election. It is very obvious. For instance, I have an examination and I am going to class to read. Indeed, am I reading? Am I studying? You don’t need to deceive anybody that you are reading. You are only trying to read so that people will see that you have carried your bag to class,” he said.
“That is the situation of the PDP. So, they cannot say for sure that they are ready for 2027. Power struggle cannot help the party.”