Hunger protest: Opposition mounts as CAN tells Christians to shun action

.Use Security votes to provide succour, employment for youths- Hon Ikeweche

The Niger chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has called on Christians not to join the planned nationwide protest scheduled for Aug.1-10.

This was contained in a message to Christians in the state signed by Bishop Bulus Yohanna, chairman of CAN, in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the message was also read in the churches across the state on Sunday.

CAN said the protest might be high-jacked by hoodlums and selfish groups to cause havoc in the country and maim innocent citizens.

“Genuine protest can easily be seized by hoodlums and selfish groups to cause enormous havoc on innocent citizens.

“Let us shun protest, violence has never yielded positive results,” he said.

Yohanna, who is also the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, described peace as an ongoing and dynamic process that demands perpetual attention and constant effort to attain and maintain.

He called on President Bola Tinubu to, apart from the palliatives, work on price control for goods and services, address rising cost of living and reduce the price of fuel.

“Let us take advantage of the farming season especially now that the Farmer Governor is proactive and has prioritised the agricultural sector,” he said.

The CAN chairman enjoined church leaders, Local Government Coordinators and parents to admonish their members and children to shun any planned protest in the interest of peace.

He charged them to remember the book of Romans 13:1-3 which talks about Christians not to rebel against constituted authorities.

“As you are aware, there are plans to stage a nationwide protest across the country.

“As Children of God and responsible people known for peace, I urge us all to shun the protest, speak to our children/wards and members of our congregation”, he said.

He said that other well-meaning Nigerians, including the youths, had declared that they would not join the nationwide protest.

“I want us to note that as a body, the CAN, Niger state will not be part of the exercise but rather prefer to have peaceful dialogue and continue to pray for our nation,” he said.

The clergy said there was need to shun the protest as it could be used to harm the people.

“Peaceful protest with clear demands is good but such could be hijacked by miscreants and be perceived by security as threat which can lead to arrests/shootings.

“There is no time that violence had led to positive results, rather it has caused destructions, loss of lives and setbacks,” Yohanna said.

He said that major stakeholders in Niger state had agreed not to join the protest.

The Bishop, however, urged governments at all levels to shun corruption, ethnic and religious bigotry.

He said: “Let there be greater accountability, fairness in empowerment, job opportunities, employment and equitable sharing of the commonwealth and justice.”

.Gov. Otti asks Abians not to join as Peter Obi insists on peaceful protest

Govs Otti, Peter Obi  on  planned hardship protest  in Nigeria : Obi insists on  peaceful protests while Otti urges Abians not to protest  though protest is within their rights.

Steve Unegbu, Umuahia

The Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, and the Labour Party Presidential Candidate in the 2023 Presidential Election Mr Peter Obi  have expressed their views about the planned hardship protests by Nigerians beginning on August 1st.

The two Political Leaders who have given Nigerians so much hope and believe in a better Nigeria spoke to the Press in the Country Home of Governor Otti at Umuehim Nvosi in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government area of Abia State after a Private Breakfast Meeting between both leaders.

Both Leaders agreed that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria allows for peaceful  protests and equally agreed that protest must be done within the ambits of the law.

Governor Otti expressed worry that the protests may be hijacked by unpatriotic elements thereby creating more problems than the reason for the protests.

According to Governor Otti, “Protests are allowed once they are done within the ambits of the law. But the real challenge is who can ensure or assure us that it will be done within the ambits of the law.

We have seen protests hijacked. My fears are that this one will also be hijacked.

“Even when you write a letter it is a protest. You can sit down and write a letter of protest, you can call somebody and register your displeasure about what he is doing or how he is running government. They are all protests and allowed. But when you now go outside the law and begin to unleash mayhem and violence that is when it is not acceptable.

” First of all, for you to organize protest, the law requires that you inform and get the approval of the security agencies, particularly the police.  Somebody should take responsibility for getting that approval. So, if you don’t have the approval, then it will be against the law for you to go out on the streets to protest”.

Speaking further, Governor Otti explained that those not involved in the protest are also entitled to their freedom as it will be against the law to deny them that.

“Secondly everyone has a right of free movement. So, if you block the road and you stop people from moving around, then, you have broken the law. So, there are several parts to it that may not be under the control of whoever that is calling for the protest.

“My attitude to it, is yes, we’ve heard what you are saying and it will be very, very unfair to say that things are not difficult now. Things are very difficult. Hunger is real and that is true. But how do you solve the problem?

“The problem we found ourselves in the country is economic and will I say that we are actually paying the prize for bad governance that didn’t start today. And, if you sat down and printed almost 24 trillion naira that is not backed by any productivity, then someday, somehow, like now, you will pay for it because if you understand how the economy works, when you have so much cash chasing a certain basket of goods, that would not increase the goods because you have more cash but prices will go up.

“So, there are very, very few options left than this difficulty that we are going through. If we are patient and go through it, then after that, I believe the economy will reverse and things will begin to look better”

Governor Otti emphasized the need for Nigeria to transit into a productive economy and import less of what we consume, warning that what is happening to our naira will be a child’s play if we continue to consume imported products. He also explained that transiting to a productive economy cannot be achieved overnight.

On his part, His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi said that the planned protest is caused by hunger and hopelessness among Nigerians. “On the issue of protest, within the Nigerian constitutions, protest is allowed. All I plead for is for those who are protesting to do so within the law and in civil manner that allows us as a nation to show that we live within the law.

“Everybody knows that things are difficult and I always say that when they talk about the sponsors of protest, the sponsors are very simple, it is hunger, it is hopelessness among the youths. So, we all have to listen to what Nigerians are going through and I thank our Governor for doing so. It is critical and important”, Mr. Obi asserted.

Mr. Obi called on the security agencies to ensure that they manage the protests within the law and advised the government to engage with the protesters and dialogue with them towards addressing the reasons for the protests.

In his words, “What I have to say to the security agencies is to ensure that they manage the situation, again within the law. We should not try to be overbearing. It should be something that we do within the law”.

“Protest is allowed everywhere globally. And, I also say that people protest in my house and it is for us to listen to those who are protesting and why they are protesting and engage them. That is what governance is all about, you talk with them, there is nothing wrong in that.

“I was Governor for years and people protested and we kept dialoging and deliberating about it”.

Governor Otti thanked Mr. Peter Obi for the visit and encouragements, saying that it means a whole lot to him.

He also thanked him for his sacrifices for the common people in Nigeria. The Governor called on Abians to shun the protests, saying that it may yield unpleasant outcome. “For people in Abia, my advice is that people should not pour out on the streets because it may be more hurtful than the reason for the protests that people are calling for”, Governor Otti stated.

Hunger protest: Police defend request for details, cite security concerns

The Nigeria Police Force has explained the reasons why details of the organisers for the proposed nationwide protests were requested.

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had, on Friday, directed the protest organisers to submit their details, proposed routes and assembly points to the Commissioners of Police in their respective states.

However, the organisers of the protest disagreed with the IG and accused him of trying to rewrite the constitution.

One of them who spoke with Sunday PUNCH, Deji Adeyanju, said there was no provision in the constitution to support the requests made by the IG.

He said, “When the constitution was conferring the right to protest on the citizens, did the constitution give conditions for protests? Is the IG trying to rewrite the constitution? Is he trying to donate rights to the citizens or what? He has no such powers. The constitution and other laws of the land do not give the IG the power to dictate how citizens should protest.”

Reacting in a statement on Sunday, the Force’s spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the IG’s request was a standard procedure to facilitate effective communication, ensure the safety of all participants and prevent any unlawful activities.

Adejobi said, “The Nigeria Police Force hereby addresses the recent accusations made by one activist, Deji Adeyanju, and others via various fora, alleging that the IGP is attempting to rewrite the constitution by requesting the details of the organisers and leaders of the planned nationwide protests.

“It is essential to know who is planning the assembly (protests) in each state as allowing faceless groups to operate unchecked could jeopardise the peace and stability of the country, and leave us with pains, sorrows and tears as experienced in the 2020 violent EndSARS protests. If organised labour and other recognised bodies were involved, it would have provided a more structured and safer environment for such public protests.

“In this wise, requesting the details of protest organisers and their leaders and the schedules of their protests which include location, period, routes etc., is a standard procedure to facilitate effective communication, ensure the safety of all participants, and prevent any unlawful activities.”

Adejobi noted that the IGP “has never denied the constitutional right of every citizen to freedom of association and expression, but has rather, at every point, emphasised that the right is to peaceful assembly and expression,” while maintaining that the police “holds the responsibility to ensure that any activity, including protests, does not pose a threat to national security.”

The statement continued, “It is also vital for Deji Adeyanju to note that in the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health; or to protect the rights and freedom of other persons as enshrined in Section 45 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, this request by the IGP is not out of place.”

Adejobi urged the activist and other organisers “not to mislead Nigerians. We, therefore, call on them to join hands in working together to uphold the security and well-being of our nation. “

.Use Security votes to provide succour, employment for youths- Hon Ikeweche

IGNATIUS OKOROCHA , Abuja

As the nation awaits the looming nationwide protest, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Aba North and South, Hon Alex Mascot Ikeweche has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to channel the money mapped out for quelling the protest to providing meaningful employment and succour to the youths lured into the protest by the sponsors.