Publisher, politician and Convener of the Revolution Now Movement, Mr Omoyele Sowore, has said that it is the right of Nigerians to protest.
He said this as he mobilised people for the anti-hunger protest starting from August 1.
Many people and institutions have, however, either dissociated themselves from the protest or advised the planners to shelve it.
President Bola Tinubu has reassured Nigerians that he clearly hears their cries against hardship and that he is working hard to stem it.
The National Assembly, labour unions, governors and religious organisations have also urged Nigerians to shun the plan and give governments more time to tackles the challenges.
But while releasing a list of locations for the upcoming #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest, scheduled to take place in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Sowore said the protest was aimed at bringing attention to the country’s governance issues.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate, urged Nigerians wishing to participate in the campaign to add their towns or cities if they had not already been listed.
He announced the designated locations for the protest in various states including Lagos, Kano, Bauchi, Enugu, Jigawa, Ekiti, Cross River, and the Federal Capital Territory, among others.
The listed locations include Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Lekki/Ajah axis, Badagry, Ikeja, and Epe in Lagos State; Kano main town in Kano State; Azare and Bauchi town in Bauchi State; Enugu city and Nsukka in Enugu State; and Dutse and Kazaure in Jigawa State.
Also listed were Ado-Ekiti and Ikere Ekiti in Ekiti State; Calabar in Cross River State, and Gwagalada and Central Business District in the Federal Capital Territory, among others.
As ‘The Punch’ also reported, another organiser, who is the Director of Mobilisation, Take it Back Movement, FCT, Damilare Adenola, said the protest was backed by several groups in the country.
“This is not about one group or another. It is about angry and hungry Nigerians who are tired of this system. Protest is our right. Nobody can take it away from us. We have already written to the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to avail us of the National Stadium built with taxpayers’ money for our peaceful demonstration,” he said.
The group had written to Wike on Friday to grant them the use of Eagle Square for the proposed #EndBadGovernance protest scheduled to be held from August 1 to 10.
They demanded provision of 24-hour power supply, toilet facilities, water, and security for the convenience of citizens who would be camped out at the location.
The statement titled, ‘Request for use of Eagle Square Abuja for #EndBadGovernance protest,’ read, “As one of the groups organizing the forthcoming #EndBadGovernance protest, #DaysOfRage starting from August 1st to 10th, 2024, we at the Take It Back Movement write to your esteemed office to notify you of our decision to use Eagle Square as a point of convergence for patriotic Nigerians to demand better governance.”
A representative of Nigerians Against Hunger, Tunde Thomas, speaking to Saturday PUNCH, said Nigeria was tired of the hunger in the land, adding that the government should intervene.
“Our demands are simple – End hunger. We cannot be the most populous Black nation in the world and be hungry,” he said.
The Secretary-General of the Initiative for Change, Mr Ocean Panem, said the August 1 protest was not a riot but a way to “echo the voices of all Nigerians.”
“The country is in a mess. We need to recognise that. Members of our group are mostly in the Middle Belt and in Cross River. We would come out en masse and make sure we don’t stop till our demands are met,” he said.
A student group leader, who did not want to be named for fear of victimisation, said members of her group, who are mostly law students and students of history, would storm the streets on August 1 to protest.
