Former governor of Kano State and National Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has expressed deep concern over the current state of Nigeria but pled with Nigerians to show understanding and restraint.
The protests, organised in response to governance issues and rising living costs, have garnered significant public interest and concern.
After the call for protests began to gain ground, the Federal Government, governors and the security establishment tried to dissuade organisers from going ahead with the protest.
Although the organisers of the protests are still unknown, Sowore, a longstanding activist and government critic, has been promoting the protest.
On Thursday, the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore, issued a list of 14 demands from Nigerians to President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In his statement, Kwankwaso agreed with the organisers of the protest about key issues plaguing the nation, including poor governance, lack of respect for the rule of law, and insufficient transparency and accountability.
He, however, linked this ills to what he described as the “country’s leadership’s attitude” adding that poor leadership had led to widespread anger, hunger, insecurity, and hopelessness, particularly among the youth.
“The interference by the Federal Government in chieftaincy matters in Kano State, the impeachment of the Deputy Governor of Edo State, political crises in Rivers State, sabotage of Aliko Dangote refinery, controversies surrounding the SAMOA agreement, the conflict between Sen. Ali Ndume and the APC Leadership, widespread insecurity, and other criminal acts are just a few examples of avoidable and unnecessary crises,” Kwankwaso stated.
Addressing the recent calls for protests against bad governance, Kwankwaso, whose party is currently at odds with the ruling party All Progressives Congress in Kano State, acknowledged the collective frustration of Nigerians.
However, he urged citizens to prioritise the nation’s stability and support the government, despite the current challenges.
“Protests, while a fundamental democratic right, often come with unforeseen and dire consequences,” Kwankwaso warned.
“The tragic events of the past have shown us that protests can escalate into violence, leading to loss of lives, destruction of property, and widespread chaos.”
Kwankwaso appealed to Nigerians to channel their desire for change through peaceful and democratic means, particularly through voting.
He reminded citizens that if the current government fails to provide the necessary leadership, they have the power to elect new leaders who can bring about the required change.
“Our nation stands at a crossroads. I urge you to consider the consequences of national protests and to use the power of your ballot for transformation,” he concluded.
The police echoed these concerns, cautioning against potential violence reminiscent of the EndSARS protests against police brutality in October 2020.
On Thursday, military authorities issued warnings that certain elements might attempt to hijack the protest to incite chaos, similar to recent events in Kenya.
President Bola Tinubu, through the Information Minister, had appealed for patience and called for postponing the protests.
The minister said, “You see, the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu believes in the freedom of everyone within the confines of the law to do what he thinks is right for him.
“Therefore, the President is not an opponent of protest of any kind but the President is an opponent of violence and anything that will negatively hamper the wellbeing of Nigerians.
“He believes and has always been saying that within the tenets of democracy, you have every right to do whatever you want to do provided that right does not infringe on another person’s right.
“Why everybody is very cautious and very weary of this national protest is because we have seen what has happened around the world.”
