- It was stated in a statement from Ibadan
A former Senate Leader and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, Teslim Folarin, has called on Nigerians to cancel their planned protests, warning they would “multiply our pains and hurt our economy.”
In a statement from Ibadan, Folarin argued that while the right to protest is enshrined in the Nigerian constitution, the proposed “Days of Rage” and “#EndBadGovernance” protests could be hijacked by miscreants, leading to another “EndSARS” situation.
“No responsible government would want its citizens to suffer, and no government would fold its hands while the citizens’ livelihood and survival are being undermined,” he said.
Folarin expressed concerns that the protests would harm economic activities, damage Nigeria’s democratic stability, and deter investors. He also warned that terrorists and criminals could exploit the protests to cause chaos.
Acknowledging the economic hardship due to government reforms, Folarin emphasized that the government has admitted the difficulties and assured that relief will follow the current pain. He doubted the effectiveness of the protests, noting they are led by unidentified individuals or organizations and could be hijacked by miscreants.
He stressed that while the right to protest is fundamental, Nigeria cannot risk another incident like EndSARS. “Replicating Kenya’s Gen Z protests in Nigeria is an ill wind that will blow Nigeria and Nigerians no good,” he added, noting that the planned protests are already causing panic buying and selling.
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