Hardship protest: Atiku sends powerful message to Tinubu

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public economic matters.

FCT, Abuja - Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 and 2023 elections, has said that the rights of citizens to protest are enshrined in the Nigerian constitution and affirmed by the country’s courts.

In a statement posted on social media which he personally signed on Tuesday, July 23, Atiku, a former vice-president and presidential hopeful, advised the Bola Tinubu government not to ‘chase shadows’.

Atiku has criticised the Tinubu administration for its seeming aversion to the planned nationwide protests against hardship in the country. Photo credits: Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar
Source: Facebook

The PDP chieftain asserted that “a responsible government must ensure a safe and secure environment for citizens to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights to peaceful protest.”

Atiku wrote on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle:

“Chasing shadows and contriving purported persons behind the planned protests is an exercise in futility when it is obvious that Nigerians, including supporters of Tinubu and the ruling APC, are caught up in the hunger, anger, and hopelessness brought about by the incompetence and cluelessness of this government.“It is deeply ironic that those who now seek to stifle these rights were themselves leading protests in 2012.“A responsible government must ensure a safe and secure environment for citizens to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights to peaceful protest.“Any attempt to suppress these rights is not only unconstitutional but a direct affront to our democracy.”

Legit.ng reports that a nationwide protest is planned to express dissatisfaction with the current hardship in Nigeria. The demonstration is slated for August 1 to 15.

Tinubu begs youths to shelve hardship protests

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Tinubu asked youths planning to embark on the planned nationwide protests against hunger and hardship policies to shelve their plan.

Mohammed Idris, the minister of information and national orientation, disclosed this after a meeting with President Tinubu on Tuesday, July 23.

Source: Legit.ng