Former Nigerian vice president and presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has blasted the current administration for trying to dissuade Nigerians from a planned mass protest. Following recent accusations from the Presidency, he reaffirmed citizens’ constitutional right to protest that supporters of Labour Party’s Peter Obi are planning nationwide protests to destabilise the government.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Atiku emphasised that the right to peaceful assembly and association is guaranteed by Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution and has been upheld by Nigerian courts.
“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”, Atiku said.
His statement came after the Presidency accused Obi’s supporters of protests against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. Presidential Adviser Bayo Onanuga labelled the protesters as “anarchists” and “bad losers” who are attempting to stage a civilian coup against the government. Onanuga’s comments were immediately followed by a backlash from citizens who appended an X (formerly Twitter) community note to the post.
In his statement on Tuesday, Atiku criticised the government for attempting to suppress the right to protest, noting the irony that many of those now condemning protests had led similar actions in 2012. He stressed that regardless of their political affiliations, Nigerians are united by common grievances such as hunger, anger, and hopelessness resulting from the current administration’s perceived incompetence.
Atiku further called on the government to ensure a safe environment for citizens to exercise their rights to peaceful protest. He warned that any attempt to stifle these rights is unconstitutional and directly threatens democracy.
Onanuga, in his long posts, had singled out several individuals, including a faceless internet radio station owner and a Labour Party chief, as key figures behind the planned protests. He warned that the calls for revolution amounted to high treason and urged security agencies to act against protesters.
Despite these allegations, Atiku supported peaceful protests and urged the government to focus on addressing the underlying issues driving public discontent rather than chasing shadows.
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