Lagos protesters ignore Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu, converge
#EndBadGovernance protesters in Lagos State have ignored the plea of President Bola Tinubu and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, asking them to discontinue the nationwide protests.
Despite the multiple appeals and invitations to dialogues, the protesters, on Monday morning, converged at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota.
Recall that Tinubu, ok Sunday, addressed the protesters in a live broadcast, while Sanwo-Olu, in a statement signed by his Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, praised the protesters for ending the demonstration after the president’s speech.
However, a statement by the organisers signed by Hassan Taiwo, Ayoyinka Oni and Adegboyega Adeniji, on behalf of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria Organising Committee, noted that the address by President Tinubu had yet to address their demands.
They knocked the president for his late response to the protesters, while also adding that his address is weak.
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The organisers noted that they consider the decision to address the nation an “important victory for our movement.”
“Without our courage and resolve to dare the odds, even this acknowledgement would not have happened. So far, we have demonstrated that a President is not greater than the rest of the country,” the statement read.
While taking note of Tinubu’s offer of dialogue, they noted that they were concerned that in the same breadth, the President had also ordered that the protest be suspended.
“In our view, the president cannot be approbating and reprobating at the same time. The President cannot offer an olive branch while at the same time holding a dagger to our throat,” the trio said.
The statement condemned the scenario “where thugs attacked protesters who had gathered for Sunday morning worship thereby injuring many.”
It added, “So we therefore call on all Nigerian youth and mass of the people to join us by 7 am at Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos tomorrow (Monday) August 5, 2024, which is Day 5 of the protest.”
Early on Monday, there was heavy police presence at Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, before protesters started arriving in batches.
