Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately dialogue with the leaders of protesters planning to take to the streets tomorrow, October 1, 2024.
The CSOs wondered why Tinubu delayed his promise to engage the protesters in dialogue.
With Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day just hours away, tensions are rising as fresh nationwide protests are set to occur on October 1.
This follows the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations in August, where thousands of Nigerians demanded reforms and relief amid hardship.
Rising fuel prices have caused increasing hardship, and protesters are determined to go on the streets to show their frustration.
One reason for the continued unrest is that over 1,000 #EndBadGovernance protesters remain in various prison facilities across the country after being charged with treason by the government.
Some of the protesters have been granted bail, but they must pay N10 million each, particularly the 10 who were charged in Abuja.
The CSOs who spoke to LEADERSHIP are the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), Transparency International (TI) and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC).
Speaking through their leader, Awwal Musa Rafsanjani, the CSOs said even though the protesters should peacefully conduct themselves, Tinubu should honour his words by initiating a dialogue with them.
Rafsanjani, who advised Tinubu to show serious commitment by engaging in dialogue with the protesters, added that such can help in moving the country forward, rather than keeping quiet.
Rafsanjani, who expressed disappointment with the present happenings in the country, stated that the government’s failure to initiate discussions with the protesters and address their grievances indicates a lack of commitment to resolving the underlying issues.
“President Tinubu promised to hold dialogue with protesters and Nigerian stakeholders, but he has not followed through. This signals that the government may not be willing to address the concerns that led to the August protests,” he said.
“To avoid the planned October protests, President Tinubu should demonstrate genuine commitment by engaging in meaningful dialogue to resolve the issues Nigerians are facing,” he added.
Meanwhile, protest leaders have urged participants to remain peaceful and refrain from violent confrontations or vandalisation of public property.
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