Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, legal counsel to some of the organizers of the planned #EndBadGovernance protests, has made an appeal to the demonstrators to limit the protest to just one day or, at most, three days.
With the protest slated to run from August 1 to 10, Adegboruwa urged the protesters to exercise restraint and maintain peace during the demonstrations, which are scheduled to take place at predetermined locations notified to the police.
In a statement released on Wednesday, on the eve of the protest, Adegboruwa commended the protesters for their bravery while also encouraging them to engage in constructive dialogue with the government to address their concerns.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria said, “Even our forefathers in their graveyards have heard your voices loud and clear. The way and manner in which the government has been running helter-skelter since the announcement of the protests shows the moral victory of your campaigns and your struggles.
“What we have done in the past few days is to facilitate dialogue with the law enforcement and security agencies. The insistence by the Inspector-General of Police of ‘credible intelligence’ with plans for violence is a confirmation of the desperation of the government to abort the protests by sponsoring hooligans and thugs to disrupt the protests. This is currently ongoing in many parts of Lagos State.”
“I therefore appeal that the protests be orderly and peaceful and conducted in the locations you have already sent to the police.
“Also, let the days of the protests be reduced to one day or the maximum three days and thereafter be suspended. Let your demands be made known to the government and then give time to address them.
“I have no doubt that you have the capacity to prosecute the protests as intended and that you have the support and prayers of the majority of our people, in all your actions. But let us give room for more dialogue. I offer to join you in this, anytime.
“I make this appeal in the interest of peace, progress and tranquillity of our dear nation,” he added.
The Senior Advocate also warned security agencies against firing bullets, arbitrary arrests of citizens and deployment of the military.
“The law recognises the right to peaceful protests while mandating the police to offer protection to unarmed civilians during their protests. Let no single bullet be fired tomorrow, let there be no arbitrary and unlawful arrest of citizens and let there be no deployment of the military to handle tackle engagements.
“The protesters are our children and our citizens. They certainly do not deserve bullets and crackdowns.”
Adegboruwa further advised President Bola Tinubu and his team to immediately reverse the twin policies of oil subsidy removal and currency devaluation.
The senior lawyer said the policies have only worked to cripple the economy and throw Nigeria into its worst economic crisis.
He also advised the President on the need to urgently end the wastage by government functionaries, arising from their lavish lifestyles.
“How can the President buy a new jet, the Vice-President renovate his house with N21B and the people are expected to suffer? How do you widen your wealth and luxuries and preach to the people to tighten their belts?
“President Tinubu must end all forms of bad governance, of dolling out billions in religious pilgrimages while handing out pittance to students as loans?” he asked.
