SOWORE RELEASES LIST OF COORDINATORS, LOCATIONS FOR #ENDOFBADGOVERNANCEINNIGERIA PROTEST
SOWORE RELEASES LIST OF COORDINATORS, LOCATIONS FOR #ENDBADGOVERNANCEINNIGERIA PROTEST Omoyele Sowore, the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, has announced the locations of protest coordinators across Nigeria for the upcoming #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria demonstration. The event aims to bring attention to the country’s governance issues. According to Sowore, a former presidential candidate, the protest will take place in 35 states nationwide. He also invited Nigerians who wish to participate in the campaign to add their towns or cities if they are not already listed. According to the activist, the designated locations for the protest in Lagos are Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Lekki/Ajah axis, Badagry, Ikeja and Epe. For Kano State, the location is Kano city; Bauchi State – locations are Azare and Bauchi town. Enugu State – locations are Enugu city and the university town of Nsukka; Jigawa State – locations are Dutse and Kazaure; Ekiti State – locations are Ado-Ekiti and Ikere-Ekiti; Cross River State – location is Calabar. For the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) – locations are Gwags and Central Business District; Imo State – Owerri; Abia State – Aba and Umuahia; Anambra State – Awka and Onitsha; Ebonyi State – Abakaliki; Akwa Ibom State – Uyo; Kaduna State – Kaduna town and Zaria; Kwara State – Ilorin and Offa; Borno State – Biu and Maiduguri; Edo State – Benin and Auchi. Bayelsa State – Brass and Yenagoa; Yobe State – Damaturu; Zamfara State – Gusau and Kaura Namoda; Nasarawa State – Keffi and Lafia; Sokoto State – Sokoto town; Plateau State – Jos; Oyo State – Oyo town and Ogbomosho; Ondo State – Akure, Ondo, Ore and Owo; Niger State – Suleja and Minna; Benue State – Gboko and Makurdi.Delta State – Ughelli, Asaba, Warri, Sapele; Kogi State – Kabba, Okene and Lokoja; Rivers State – Port-Harcourt; Kebbi state – Birnin Kebbi and Gwandu; Katsina State – Daura and Katsina. Osun State – Ile-Ife, Oshogbo, Iwo, Ilesha and Ede; Ogun State – Ijebu-Ode, Shagamu, Ilaro and Abeokuta; Taraba State – Jalingo.
AREWA GROUP SAYS NO GOING BACK ON #ENDOFBADGOVERNANCEINNIGERIA PROTEST
AREWA YOUTH AMBASSADORS SAY NO GOING BACK ON #ENDBADGOVERNANCEINNIGERIA PROTEST The Arewa Youth Ambassadors have announced that the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest is “necessary and inevitable,” criticising the Nigerian government for its economic policies. According to the group, there is “no backing out of it: there is no pulling the wool over our eyes”. In a statement signed by Comrade Yahaya M. Abdullahi on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, the group stated that justice is crucial for national stability, asserting that the “cornerstone of the coherent living of a nation is justice”. “It is the basis for the social system,” it added. The group condemned President Bola Tinubu administration’s recent removal of fuel subsidy, calling it “cruel and irrational” and arguing that it has led to “unspeakable hardships and abject poverty.” They argued that the government’s lack of transparency and consensus is worsening the economic crisis, claiming that “the abrupt removal of fuel subsidy has thrown the masses into a state of misfortune and affliction.” They emphasised that without significant policy changes, the planned protest will proceed, declaring, “The only escape will be as and when the government changes to the contrary for Nigerians to have a sense of relief.” It said, “In order to promote peace and coexistence at ease, a government should be transparently honest and just. Because there is no path to a sustainable future but peace: the link to reason and agreement, the incentive or stimulant for development and the base of remaining alive. “Peace should be taken in tow by justice to achieve the levels of national cooperation, inclusiveness and trust needed for resilience. Otherwise, things will for sure fall apart, with so many avoidable problems to come after in time, here and there. “The current severe economic crisis and the resultant biting difficulties Nigerians are going through are without any doubt caused by the harsh, inhuman and degrading policies imposed upon them by the president Tinubu-led government. But, would it live to see light at the end of the tunnel?“For, of the factors by which good governance is measured, transparency and consensus are no where to be found in this regime of a government that is obviously serious on reducing every individual outside of the powers that are to indigence and beggary.”
BREAKING: ATIKU BACKS PROTEST, SLAMS TINUBU’S GOVT OVER PLANS TO SUPPRESS PROTESTERS
BREAKING: ATIKU BACKS PLANNED PROTEST, SLAMS TINUBU’S GOVT OVER PLANS TO SUPPRESS PROTESTERS Former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has backed the planned nationwide protests against hunger and widespread hardship in the country, scheduled to begin on August 1. In a statement, Atiku slammed the government of President Bola Tinubu for attempting to suppress the protesters, saying it is an exercise in futility. He noted that Nigerians, including supporters of Tinubu and the ruling APC, are affected by the hunger, anger, and hopelessness caused by the government’s incompetence and cluelessness. Atiku stressed that the right to protest is enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution and affirmed by the courts. He cited Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and association. He described it as ironic that those who now seek to stifle these rights were themselves leading protests in 2012. Atiku called on the government to ensure a safe and secure environment for citizens to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights to peaceful protest. He warned that any attempt to suppress these rights is not only unconstitutional but a direct affront to democracy. Atiku’s statement reads, “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.“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.”
NORTH ON THE BRINK OF COLLAPSE – GOV RAISES ALARM
NORTH ON THE BRINK OF COLLAPSE, GOV RAISES ALARM The Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, has expressed concern over the rising cases of out-of-school children, poverty and other socioeconomic problems in the North, stating that the region was on the brink of collapse if the leaders do not come together to find solutions to the challenges. Sani raised the alarm during a courtesy visit of the National Chairman of the Arewa Consutative Forum (ACF), Mamman Osuman to Kaduna State. He said, “This new executive committee has emerged at a time of great challenges. We are confronted with difficult developmental and security questions. Criminal elements have been laying siege to communities in the North and reversing our progress on multiple fronts. Our development deficits are scary and require urgent attention. “In 2022, the Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Bureau of Statistics launched its most extensive measure of multidimensional poverty. The survey revealed that 63% of persons living within Nigeria (that is about 133 million people) are multidimensionally poor. 65% of the poor (that is 86 million people) live in the North, while 35% (nearly 47 million) live in the South. “The North is not faring any better in the area of Education. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) puts the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria at 18.3 million. Of this outrageous number of out-of-school children, about 70% are in the North of Nigeria. This is quite disturbing and must worry all of us who still care for the North and Nigeria in general. “As I mentioned, insecurity in the North has retarded developments in the critical sectors. a lot of farmers cannot access their farms. Food insecurity now confronts us directly. Child and maternal mortality are on the increase. Our infrastructure has decayed. The moves to address our infrastructural deficits are equally threatened by insecurity. “For the North, we need to move decisively to change these negative development indices. Unfortunately, what we see in the North is the promotion of toxic politics, opposition for opposition’s sake, and pull him down syndrome.” “We indulge in endless blame games, devoid of attempts at soul searching or introspection. We have failed to ask ourselves some vital questions. Where did the rain start beating the North? Who are those complicit in the underdevelopment of the North? “What have we done individually and collectively to find solutions to the challenges facing the North? We must take a hard look at ourselves, tell ourselves some home truths and move together to fashion a common strategy to address our developmental challenges, and confront the criminals making life unbearable for our people.“The Arewa Consultative Forum has a major role to play in building this required consensus for the best approach to tackle the multifaceted challenges facing Northern Nigeria. ACF must make efforts to refocus the attention of our people. Let us de-emphasise politics and focus on development. Let us gear our efforts towards overcoming the threats with all the energy we can muster”.
Dons Eze
- Foreign Affairs
- July 23, 2024
- 80 views
KAMALA HARRIS SECURES VOTES NEEDED TO BECOME DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE
KAMALA HARRIS SECURES VOTES NEEDED TO BECOME DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE Vice President Kamala Harris successfully moved Monday to shore up the support she needed to secure the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination, potentially avoiding a bitter internal party dispute one day after President Joe Biden announced he’s backing out of his own White House campaign. A USA TODAY count of delegates shows the 59-year old Harris has secured endorsements in excess of the 1,976 delegates needed to become the party’s nominee in the first round of voting. There are 3,936 Democratic delegates in total, including former presidents, state and local party leaders, members of Congress and governors, but only about half get to vote in the first round. California’s delegates put Harris over the top Monday evening when they voted unanimously to back the state’s former U.S. Senator for president. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for the vote. “Tonight, I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become our party’s nominee, and as a daughter of California, I am proud that my home state’s delegation helped put our campaign over the top,” Harris said in a late-night statement Monday. “I look forward to formally accepting the nomination soon.” She expressed thanks to Biden and others in the Democratic party who support her. “I look forward to taking our case directly to the American people,” Harris said. “This election will present a clear choice between two different visions. Donald Trump wants to take our country back to a time before many of us had full freedoms and equal rights. I believe in a future that strengthens our democracy, protects reproductive freedom and ensures every person has the opportunity to not just get by, but to get ahead.” After announcing Sunday afternoon that he no longer sought the nomination, the 81-year-old Biden endorsed Harris, a move that likely inspired delegates pledged to him to endorse her. It will ultimately be up to delegates to pick the nominee. The Democratic Party on Monday laid out plans to hold a virtual vote to pick a nominee before August 7, weeks before the Democratic National Convention that’s scheduled to run August 19-22 in Chicago. Other candidates could put their name in for consideration at that time, but if Harris has secured the necessary votes any challenge would be short lived. The vice president has already largely gathered the support of the governors, Capitol Hill Democrats and others who would vote in a second round. Per Democratic National Committee rules, a candidate must receive pledged support from 300 delegates to appear on the ballot at the convention. Harris has been working the phones since Biden announced Sunday night he would no longer seek the nomination. Tennessee was the first state to pledge all its eligible delegates to Harris on Sunday. South Carolina, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Florida followed behind. John Pitney, a Claremont McKenna College politics professor, said the speed in which Harris has been lining up delegates was still “quite surprising.” He added that Harris would benefit from getting to Chicago with the nomination in hand rather than get mired in a floor fight where the party’s fissures would be exposed on issues like Israel’s war in Gaza. “The sooner she wraps this up, the better,” said Pitney, who has followed Harris’ career for decades. “And I think that’s going to happen in fact sooner than anybody expected.” On Monday, that list expanded to include the more than 250 delegates from Florida, as well as delegates in Alabama, Maryland, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Iowa. On a press call Monday to announce that Florida’s delegates will back Harris, state House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell called Harris “battle tested.” “She’s the most qualified vice president we’ve…
TINUBU GOVT HIRES NORTHERN GROUP, PAYS EACH MEMBER N1500 TO DESTABILISE PROTEST
TINUBU GOVT HIRES NORTHERN GROUP, PAYS EACH MEMBER N1500 TO DESTABILISE PROTEST A pro-government group, the Coalition of Northern Youths Leaders Forum has been recruited by the government to dissociate itself from the planned #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest slated for August 1 across the country after paying each member a paltry sum of N1500. The aim of the group is to create impression that Northern youths had withdrawn from the mass action and rubbish the genuine intention of the protest, SaharaReporters learnt. The hired group led by one Murtala Mohammed (Gamji) National President disclosed this at a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja. He also castigated the promoters of the protest noting that they did not mean well for the country. He however just admitted the fact that the Bola Tinubu government had inflicted pains, hardship and abject poverty on Nigerians since it came on board. Meanwhile it was gathered that some of the members of the group were paid the sum of N1500 each to attend the event. Findings also revealed that some government officials made efforts to bribe some youths leaders in Northern with the view to truncate and frustrate the planned protest. In a Facebook post by one of the participants and beneficiaries, he wrote, “Nigeria can’t get it right again. Northern youths leaders invited me for a meeting at Royal Continental hotel zone’ 4 in Abuja at the end of the meeting the sum of N1500 was given to each and everyone of us saying that there’s no protest again.” According to a statement by the group obtained by SaharaReporters, it reads, “The Northern Youths leaders forums wishes to dissociate its members and the entire youths of northern Nigeria from the planned protest against the Federal Government of Nigeria by some disgruntled elements who do not mean well for the country. “Based on our finding, it was discovered that the groups of people involved in the process of airing our opinions have different opinions such as sinister motives to cause mayhem and economic sabotage by blocking federal roads in Jos, Kaduna State and federal capital thereby increasing the hardships faced by the ordinary people. “Northern Youths leaders forums appreciate the fact that there is hardship in the land, but at the same time, acknowledge the effort of the government in tackling them, e.g the recently granted local government autonomy which will take government to the grassroots, and the creation of a livestock ministry which is one of the most important aspect needed over time which will solve the centuries old farmers herders crises.” Recall that the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) had on Monday cautioned President Bola Tinubu and security agencies against hunting the leaders and promoters of the upcoming nationwide protest, ‘Day of Rage’ against economic hardship in the country.The labour union had pointed out that millions of Nigerians are angry about the state of the national economy just as it advised the government to invite the leadership of the protests movement for discussions on their grievances.
NIGERIA FAILING BECAUSE SOMEONE TRANSFERED LAGOS TEMPLATE TO ABUJA – DELE MOMODU
NIGERIA FAILING BECAUSE SOMEONE TRANSFERRED LAGOS TEMPLATE TO ABUJA – DELE MOMODU Dele Momodu, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has said that Nigeria is failing because someone transferred Lagos template to Abuja. Momodu, who did not mention name, stated this during an interview on Channels TV. He criticized the composition of the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu, who was Lagos governor from 1999 to 2007, and touted as laying the development structure in the coastal state. The former PDP presidential aspirant stated that he would struggle to name 10 current ministers alongside their accomplishments before their appointment, adding that those close to the president could not tell him the truth because their lives depend on him. Momodu said, “Today, God is my witness, if you ask me to name 10 ministers in Tinubu’s cabinet and to tell you what they did or did not do before they were appointed, I will struggle. “That is the truth. Look, what we have today is that someone transferred the Lagos template to Abuja and that’s why we are failing. “Nigeria parades some of the greatest human beings on planet earth. I have travelled a bit. There is nowhere up to Australia that I did not meet Nigerians doing great things. Where are those people?“In today’s Nigeria, it’s either you are the son of, the daughter of… Nigeria cannot continue to operate on the basis of compensation. I must compensate my friends and former schoolmates. No!”
PROTEST AGAINST BAD GOVERNANCE: AJAERO TELLS TINUBU TO GO FOR DIALOGUE
PROTEST AGAINST BAD GOVERNANCE: AJAERO TELLS TINUBU TO GO FOR DIALOGUE President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, has advised President Bola Tinubu to dialogue with the leadership of the groups planning to stage protests over the prevailing hardship in the country for talks, as it is their right to protest if they so wish. Ajaero, in a statement he crafted personally and sent to the media in Abuja on Monday, said the truth is that millions of Nigerians are angry about the state of the national economy. According to the NLC boss, a situation where most Nigerian families are forced to eat one miserable meal a day, whereby eating from the dustbin is now seen as a luxury, calls for a serious intervention by government. While corroborating a recent country living standards index assessment by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, which established that about 133 million Nigerians live below extreme poverty lines, Ajaero said the International Rescue Committee, IRC, posits that in the first three quarters of 2024, about 32 million Nigerians have been exposed to acute hunger. In his words, when these statistics are added to the millions that are being recruited into the armies of the unemployed and underemployed Nigerians, one can easily situate the hardship, pain, frustrations and despair that many Nigerians are going through right now. He said: “The truth is that Nigerians have been hard pushed and super pressed right against the walls of deep deprivation and acute want. It is, therefore, condescending and dismissive to describe the daily brutish ordeal that Nigerians are going through as sponsored political dissent. Even if it is so, it is still within the confines of citizens’ rights to protest on political grounds. “Just that the current unease in the country does not need political motivation to spark and splurge. All that the hurting citizens demand from their government is a listening ear and an empathetic heart. Maybe that is what the organisers of the protest are looking for, given their continued notices on different social media platforms. “It is very difficult to tell a Nigerian who has lost his or her job due to the current economic downturn to maintain their cool. It is very tough to advise a nursing mother who is unsure of the next meal for her suckling child to be at ease. It is a herculean task to demand patience from a youth who has been out of school for the past six years without a job and is burdened with aged parents to cater for.” The NLC President said that during these very difficult times, the right of Nigerians to complain must be fully respected. The organised labour movement, led by the Nigeria Labour Congress, has had cause in recent times to protest against the crushing suffering in the land brought about by the harsh economic policies of government including the astronomical hike in the price of refined petroleum products, the increase in the cost of electricity and the unavailability of the same, the unconscientious raise and duplication of user access charges to most public utilities, including hospital treatment, water, waste disposal and a general spike in the cost of living. Sounding a note of warning to the Federal Government, he said it is the well-considered position of the Congress that bellicosity and hostility towards the protesters and other aggrieved Nigerians do not offer any tangible remedy either to the pain endured by the populace or the frustrations of having so little in a country where a few privileged persons are living in obscene luxury, especially at the expense of the majority. His words: “As the date for the widely reported national protest looms, the Nigeria Labour Congress urges President Bola Ahmed Tinubu…
IF YOU ARREST PETER OBI IT WILL MAKE YOUR MATTER WORSE – FAYOSE
IF YOU ARREST PETER OBI, IT WILL MAKE YOUR MATTER WORSE – FAYOSE Isaac Fayose, brother of former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, has warned the federal government against arresting the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, over the planned Nationwide protest against bad governance. Fayose lamented the economic hardships in the country, which include hike in the prices of commodities, as a result of the removal of subsidies by the current administration led by Bola Tinubu. In this process, several Nigerians have taken to the streets to express their grievances regarding inflation and the rising cost of living. In respect to this development, some top politicians have urged citizens to exercise patience with the current administration, as there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. In a video posted by Sahara TV, Isaac Fayose stated that the federal government has refused to admit the truth that the country is in need of restructuring. He also made reference to the allegations against the Labour Party LP flagbearer, Obi.where he noted that arresting him would only make the whole issue worse.According to the video, “If you arrest Peter Obi, it will make your matter worse.”.
OHANAEZE NDIGBO LAMPOONS BAYO ONANUGA OVER PROTEST ALLEGATION ON PETER OBI
OHANAEZE NDIGBO LAMPOONS BAYO ONANUGA OVER PROTEST ALLEGATION ON PETER OBI Ohanaeze Ndigbo has reduced President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on information and strategy, Chief Bayo Onanuga’s allegation on Mr. Peter Obi as Igbophobic, deep-seated hate for a Nigeria tribe and an act of uncouth repugnancy. Onanuga had alleged that Peter Obi, the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, was responsible for the rumoured nationwide protest plot by Nigeria citizens from the month of August. Ohanaeze Ndigbo therefore recalled that Onanugu’s allegation against Peter Obi was not the first time he showed his deep hatred for Ndigbo, recalling that the president’s aide had during last year’s presidential election also made an unapologetic ethnic slur against the Igbo. Ohanaeze spokesman, Dr. Chiedozie Ogbonnia, in a statement made available in Enugu, on Monday, said that Onanugu confirmed himself as a “true to type” and one who is viewed in bizarre dispositions towards anything Igbo as unthoughtful, loathsome, cantankerous, uncouth, repugnant, inflammable and full of deep-seated hate. Ohanaeze informed Onanuga that Nigerians of all persuasions, North, South, East and West were in pains of diverse forms: excruciating hardships, poverty, Naira downward spiral, incessant kidnappings, banditry, farmers-herdsmen conflict, most terrifying insecurity, joblessness, rising food prices and cost of living challenges. And that the prevailing hardship in Nigeria is blind to ethnicity. “It is necessary to inform Onanuga that this is a time for the Presidency to initiate policies, programmes, activities and a body language that will appeal to or assuage the downtrodden, dispossessed, oppressed, the deprived, including Obidients. “And to also inform the Onanugas that issuing threats to masses, the hungry and angry, the vulnerable and indeed those who no longer fear any fall is the most inconceivable line of action for any government in a fragile society. In other words, instead of broadening the minds to creative thinking and welfare programs for the masses, the Onanugas are chasing rat when the house is on fire,” said Ogbonnia. He reiterated that Ohanaeze Ndigbo had earlier this year asked all Igbo not to participate in any protest against the administration of President Bola Tinubu because anything involving Ndigbo have always been treated negatively different from other tribes in Nigeria. “When youths from other tribes of the country are involved, they are reprimanded and forgiven; but when the Igbo youths are involved they are arrested, incarcerated and even charged for serious offences. For example, the arrest and detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu generated a lot of problems for the Igbos” amongst others. “Emphatically, the current hardship in Nigeria is the comeuppance of Igbophobia. It is an unavoidable outcome of an orchestrated injustice, marginalization, callous conspiracies, corporate shenanigans and ethnic bigotry against the Igbo. “Ohanaeze Ndigbo stands on a firm wicket based on reason, history and experience, to state that there can never be peace, progress and national development when there is a deliberate government policy of injustice, tantrums and brimstones against a vibrant, capacious, resourceful, resilient and populous ethnic group such as the Igbo.” Ogbonnia recalled that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had condemned the persistent aversion to the people of southeastern extraction, which Obasanjo described as Igbophobia. “Obasanjo added that unless Nigeria throws its doors open to merit and full inclusion of the Igbo in national affairs, the country will continue to flounder and grope in the dark.“Finally, the Igbo are once again requested not to join the forthcoming nationwide protest. When President Muhammadu Buhari appointed about 15 service Chiefs in Nigeria and Igbo was secluded, did the lopsided policy abate the security situation in Nigeria? And have we died? And many more…?”