Arewa Consultative Forum Rejects Planned Protest
…Says 10 Days Shutdown Counterproductive
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has rejected the planned nationwide protest and warned that A ten-day shutdown of Nigeria will be much too long, counterproductive and disruptive.
It is unthinkable that the millions of Nigeria that feed from meagre daily earnings can sustain a close down of up ten days,” ACF stated.
In a statement issued by the ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Prof Muhammad Tukur Baba, the forum explained that “with the bulk of its population facing existential economic and political challenges, made worse by devastating insecurity and terrorism, the protest may entail a possible lockdown of the whole country which will imperil the lives of the people of the North even further.”
“Under current circumstances, the protests have the real potential to turn violent and/or be hijacked by criminals;
ACF’s concerns are aggravated by some trending posts on social media where an anonymous voice not only threatens anarchy but also ominously urged one of the Presidential candidates in the 2023 election, to flee to England ahead of the planned protest, reminiscent of the situation in Nigeria ahead of the 1966 bloody military coup.”
“ACF has been monitoring pronouncements for and against a planned 10-day nationwide protests, commencing, 1st August, 2024, being organised by some anonymous group(s)…Information on social media hinge the action on dissatisfaction with prevailing vortex of socioeconomic and political challenges facing Nigerian citizens consequent to policies of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Administration since it took office in 2023.”
“ACF acknowledges that Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution and other universal/international conventions, guarantee citizens inalienable rights to express grievances over living conditions and aspirations, including freedom of assembly, demonstration and protests.”
“ACF also acknowledges the current existential challenges that Nigerians live with are dire, made more glaring by the profligate, insensitive and ostentatious life styles and attitudes of Nigeria’s elected representatives and other public officials, which has resulted in palpable despair, disaffection and widespread anger for ordinary citizens.”
“However, ACF is alarmed about the goals of the proposed protest and cannot support it for the following reasons:
There has been no robust engagement with representatives of the people over accountability and good governance, as for, example, with state governors, members of the National and state assemblies, etc.;
What is discernible from the justification and demands from the promoters of the protests are largely incoherent, and poorly articulated with their likelihood of success very doubtful.”
“None of the reasons for the planned action directly addresses the North’s most pressing current challenge: debilitating insecurity which lingers unsolved and continues to wreak havoc on citizens;
The exercise fundamental rights to protest or demonstrate are exercised at the individual’s discretion, and no one should be forced to do so.”
“Under the circumstances, a rush to protest will be counter intuitive, disruptive, counterproductive. ACF therefore unequivocally rejects the call for participation in such a course of action and calls on the people of the North to decline participation.”
“Nevertheless, ACF also calls on all authorities, at the local government, state and federal levels, to most urgently address obvious shortcomings in current approach to public policy-making and implementation such as will alleviate the dire existential conditions that Nigerian citizens live with.’ the group stated.
