Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the Federal Government’s efforts to prevent the planned nationwide protest scheduled for August 1.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate in the last election expressed his dismay, highlighting the irony that those who led protests against former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in 2012 are now attempting to suppress the rights of others to protest.
The planned protest, organized by some youths, aims to draw attention to the increasing hunger and economic hardship across the country.
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The organizers have declared that “this hunger is too much,” calling for a 10-day demonstration to pressurize both federal and state governments to address the dire situation.
In a statement on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday, Atiku emphasized that the right to protest is constitutionally guaranteed and that the government’s role should be to provide a safe and secure environment for such peaceful expressions.
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Atiku said, “For the avoidance of doubt, the rights of citizens to protest are enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution and affirmed by our courts. Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as altered) unequivocally guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and association.
“Chasing shadows and contriving purported persons behind the planned protests is an exercise in futility when it is obvious that Nigerians, including supporters of Tinubu and the ruling APC, are caught up in the hunger, anger, and hopelessness brought about by the incompetence and cluelessness of this government.”
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He further noted the irony of the current administration’s stance, “It is deeply ironic that those who now seek to stifle these rights were themselves leading protests in 2012. A responsible government must ensure a safe and secure environment for citizens to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights to peaceful protest.”
“Any attempt to suppress these rights is not only unconstitutional but a direct affront to our democracy,” Atiku concluded.
