Nothing Is Wrong With Protest – Fani-Kayode

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has said peaceful protest and demonstration are the rights of citizens and lawful.

The former Director of the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign on Digital and New Media, said what was unacceptable about the August protest was that there are no identifiable leaders.

Femi Kayode said advised Nigerians against protesting in August. He said there are attempts to provoke security forces to turn against the government.

The former Minister of Aviation, on his X handle, on Friday, accused the protest planners of manipulating the economic hardship in the country to turn citizens against the federal government.

He said, “There is nothing wrong with a peaceful demonstration and a lawful legitimate protest. What is unacceptable is a premeditated attempt by a group of faceless individuals who are on the payroll of subversive elements to destabilize the country and incite people to violence and carnage.

“That is what this so-called nationwide strike that they have labeled as the “Endbadgovernanceprotest” is all about. Worse still there is a covert and subterranean attempt to provoke the security forces to open mutiny and rebellion against constituted authority and thereby truncuate our democracy.

“Those that are behind it are attempting to take advantage of the undoubtedly enormous economic challenges in the land to create panic, fear, chaos and mass unrest with a view to provoking anarchy, mayhem and armed insurrection.”

The former Minister added that Nigeria does not need a repeat of Endsars protest. He advised Nigerians to rethink the planned protest. Kayode said the government cannot allow the country to be put in a state of anarchy.

He encouraged citizens to engage the federal government in dialogue. He noted that aside from dialogue, protest would be counterproductive to Nigeria.

“This is unacceptable and no responsible Government will sit back and allow it to happen. I urge those that are behind this surreptitious, subterranean and sinister subterfuge to have a rethink and not spark off a reaction from the security forces that they will later regret.

“We do not want or need a nationwide Endsars-like round of protests and neither can we afford the attendant violence, strife, division, damage to property and bloodshed that comes with it.

“The way forward is to put off the protest, exercise patience, enter dialogue with the Federal Government and express our collective concerns in a lawful, restrained, responsible and legitimate manner. Anything outside of that will be dangerous and counter-productive,” Fani-Kayode said.