Nationwide Protest: Address Issues with Sincerity, Ex-APC Presidential Candidate Tells Tinubu

• Former APC presidential candidate Gbenga Hashim urged Tinubu’s administration to address protesters’ concerns sincerely, warning against unconstitutional change
• Hashim maintained that while protests are legitimate, plotting regime change under that cover would be treason, and protesters would face the law

Gbenga Hashim, a former presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to address the critical issues raised by the promoters of the August 1 protest with sincerity.

Hashim emphasized that attempting to change a democratically elected government outside the constitutionally prescribed means, under the guise of protesting against bad governance, remains a treasonable offence.

He noted that the right to protest by any group of Nigerians or individuals concerning any situation is an essential part of citizens’ freedom of expression guaranteed by Nigeria’s Constitution. However, these rights must be exercised peacefully without infringing on the rights of others.

Some Nigerians had planned a nationwide protest from August 1 to 10, dubbed’ 10 Days of Rage,’ to protest the economic hardship. However, stakeholders, including the presidency, federal and state governments, and traditional and religious leaders, have continued to appeal to citizens to shelve the protest.

In a statement released by his media department, Hashim maintained that there are legitimate grounds for the Nigerian people to protest the prevailing economic situation and a myriad of challenges that have not been satisfactorily addressed.

“Nigerians protested robustly even under military rule. The government needs to address the issues with utmost sincerity; it is time for honest introspection,” Hashim stated.

“However, any group of people allegedly plotting regime change under cover of protest would be engaging in treason, and where credible evidence exists, they would be answerable to the law.

“We are a democracy, one that some of us suffered direly to establish. Though our democracy may be slow to produce positive results for our people, we must resist the temptation and seduction of unconstitutional change, which, in our immediate past, produced horrible outcomes,” he added.