By Ayomide Otitoju
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has praised the #EndBadGovernance protesters for their “noteworthy” efforts while urging the government to listen to the yearnings of its citizens. Atiku made this call on Friday through his official X handle, commending the peaceful manner in which protesters have aired their grievances.
“The commencement of public protests across the country yesterday is noteworthy,” Atiku stated. “These demonstrations have opened a vital channel for the public to express disapproval of government policies, furthering the essential conversation about good governance in our nation.”
He lauded the majority of protesters for conducting themselves peacefully and urged them to maintain their restraint and dedication. “For the most part, protesters have conducted themselves with admirable peace and must be commended for their restraint and dedication. However, in some isolated instances, there have been reports of violence, leading to regrettable clashes and brutalities by the police. I urge the protesters to maintain their peaceful stance and call on more Nigerians to show solidarity and support for the #EndBadGovernance peaceful protest.”
Atiku emphasized the importance of maintaining a peaceful and lawful approach during the protests. “This is a pivotal moment for our collective voice to be heard, and it must be done with dignity and respect for the law. I also call on the police to engage more professionally in managing these protests. The needless killing of innocent citizens by security agencies is unacceptable.”
He called on security agencies to protect journalists covering the protests and to handle law enforcement with restraint. “The police must refrain from the molestation of journalists who are merely reporting the protest. It is imperative that security agencies exercise restraint while enforcing law and order. Security agencies are encouraged to identify and isolate the minority elements who are resorting to violence and looting, ensuring that the actions of a few do not tarnish the majority of peaceful protesters.”
Addressing the government, Atiku urged leaders to respond to the people’s demands. “To the government, I admonish you to heed the voices of the people and come down from your high horses. It is time to demonstrate a sincere commitment to addressing the demands of the protesters. The nation cannot afford further days of unrest; let this be the moment where leadership listens and acts with integrity and urgency.”
