Protest: ‘APC dubious, funded counter-protesters’- Rivers LP Chairperson Hilda Dokubo alleges

Rivers State Labour Party Chair, Hilda Dokubo, has criticised President Bola Tinubu and the APC amid nationwide protests.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that thousands of Nigerians began a 10-day nationwide protest on Thursday, driven by mounting economic hardship.

The protest, which continued earlier today in several states across the country on Friday under the banner ‘EndBadGovernance,’ was marred by pockets of violence, police brutality, vandalisation and looting.

The actress-turned-politician posted a video on her Instagram page Thursday accusing Mr Tinubu and his party of apathy towards protesters.

She alleged that the APC government, under Mr Tinubu, funded counter-protesters to instigate violence and derail the demonstrations.

She said: “I don’t understand this government’s reliance on palliatives. Why does this administration strongly believe in palliatives, shortcuts, and being dubious to themselves and the citizens? In a country of over 200 million Nigerians, you pick 5,000 people, give them a palliative that lasts less than 24 hours, and expect them to say thank you. What should they thank you for? For not knowing what to do? Every time the government says they give palliatives of five kilograms of rice, which is probably measured as maybe 10 cups. So, let’s assume that just one person eats that five-kilogram or even a 10-kilogram bag of rice. That meal is probably just four times.

“Are those people expected to chew the rice raw or boil and eat it because the government doesn’t give anything to it? They gave five people N5,000, which can’t even buy Suya, let alone proper meat to cook soup, and they think they’ve done something. We are over 200 million Nigerians, and we deserve more. Our country is rich but heavily indebted to countries we should be aiding today. Most definitely, there are things that the government has given to them as collateral or as sources for repaying the loans that they are collecting and using for themselves. These loans are ending up in individual pockets. These loans are not doing anything for the country.”

#EndSARS replication

The 54-year-old further alleged that Mr Tinubu’s administration had ordered security forces to adopt tactics similar to those used during the EndSARS protests.

She accused Mr Tinubu and the APC of instigating widespread unrest and maltreating citizens, claiming that INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu rigged the 2023 presidential election.

“On 20 October 2020, Nigeria lost many of her children to the wickedness of the APC administrative system, and today is 1 August 2024. We don’t know how many have been hurt. We don’t know who’s been affected. We don’t know anything. We know that, for the first time, there is a new kind of protest—one to stop another protest. The government is funding a protest to prevent a protest, which is ridiculous. This started with a dubious INEC, led by Yakubu and his team, who decided to give their results, choosing our president and governors and determining everything. They put us where we are today.

Paid anti-protesters arrive Moshood Abiola Stadium

“The judiciary has also made the courts disreputable, to the point where, as a citizen, when you see a judge, you wonder, ‘Is this one of them?’ When children come home saying they want to study Law, we ask them, ‘Which law?’ It’s crazy right now. There’s no respect for what we used to hold in high regard because there’s nothing left to respect. Soon, we will start again, and they will give us another one. Who knows, maybe the same Mahmood Yakubu because Yakubu has become the abattoir of Nigeria, a death trap. He gave us Bubu (former President Muhammadu Buhari) and now has given us this (Mr Tinubu), and this is where we are,” Dokubo noted.

Bad economy

Ms Dokubo stated that Nigeria is experiencing its worst economic downturn under APC governance.

She questions the country’s growth prospects under APC leadership, citing its substantial debt burden.

Ms Dokubo added, “Nothing works under APC. Under former President Goodluck Jonathan, the Dollar stayed at N160 for six years; that’s what you call consistency because you could plan, and business owners coming to Nigeria to do business could plan, project, and predict what would happen in their business in the coming years. Under Mr Tinubu’s administration, in one year, the dollar went from N400 to N2,000, then back to N1,000, and now it’s on its way back to N2,000. How can anybody do business if they’re not a fraudulent person? Only dubious people can do business in Nigeria today. No clean business person can.

“Nigerian ladies don’t wear wigs anymore. Now we’re all wearing all back styles and dreads; everything is an excuse. The First Lady, Remi Tinubu, says people should come and farm. Farm where? You have first to resolve the Boko Haram issue so that people don’t come and take the crops. They (Nigerians) start farming, and the next thing, cows and cattle are eating up the crops. Then you talk, and they kill you. Our children were taken away. Till now, they are not all back—we just keep telling stories.”

Protest funders

Moreover, she refuted the claims implicating her party and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as instigators of the ongoing End Bad Governance demonstrations.

“They (the government) can’t reason; they sit down and claim that someone is funding the protesters. Yet they were the first funders, financing a group of people to say no to protests. This country is insane. By this time, shouldn’t the president address the citizens? And if he doesn’t want to, that’s fine. Can’t someone who knows how to communicate—rather than someone who wants to show off—address the nation? Is there no one in this administration who can tackle these issues? It’s a hopeless situation.

“Then we say Nigerians are too protective of themselves; they would never commit suicide. But now Nigerians are taking their own lives because the mental health conditions of many people are spiralling out of control. The mental health of a lot of people is messed up. Come on social media and read some comments. I tell you, governance and leadership are too important to leave in the hands of the criminals we have allowed in power”, she noted.

Ms Dokubo urged Nigerians to get involved and assume leadership to help Nigeria heal.

She accused the APC and its leadership of lacking true leadership qualities and emphasised Nigerians’ need to take control.

“We all need to reclaim our country and build a new one with leaders who understand what it means to lead. The current leaders need to learn about leadership. They only know how to take public wealth to enrich themselves and fulfil their desires.

“One day, the child of a poor person will confront the child of a rich person, saying, ‘Your father kept me in this situation. My parents worked hard, but your father stole everything from them.’ By then, the real thieves (the current political leaders) might be gone to hell, but their children will face the consequences of their father’s crimes.”

Ejike Asiegbu too

Similarly, actor Ejike Asiegbu, in a statement shared on his Instagram Thursday, urged Mr Tinubu to refrain from claiming he is doing his best.

Mr Asiegbu pointed out that it is unnecessary to downplay the president’s efforts after a year in office.

He stressed that Nigerians expected him to leverage his successful track record in Lagos to effectively address the nation’s challenges.

“There is no gainsaying you are trying your best, as it is barely one year since you resumed office. Understandably, people believed that with your magic wand in Lagos, you had the benefit of hindsight to face the challenges ahead. Together, we shall overcome this moment and build a better nation where equity, justice, and fair play will abound while looking into the agricultural sector and creating job opportunities for our youths to embrace.

“These are worrying and trying times for most Nigerians. I lend my voice to my fellow Nigerians as we are all affected by the state of economic downturns regarding the high cost of living, among other issues. The government has heard every complaint quite clearly, so I urge and plead with everyone not to escalate the situation further, as heightened tempers will worsen the present situation, leading to further chaos, wanton destruction of properties, looting of goods, arson, deaths, and unimaginable losses”, the 64-year-old added.

Mr Asiegbu, who made his acting debut in “Silent Night”, urged Mr Tinubu to address the nation to calm frayed nerves.

He mentioned that if incentives or palliatives are already distributed through state governments, they should be disbursed promptly to alleviate the burden on Nigerians.

Furthermore, he encouraged the President to consider establishing marketing boards to standardise the prices of goods and services across the country.

READ ALSO:Emir Sanusi urges end to protests after violence, deaths in Kano

He said: “Nigerians know you can make this happen while addressing other related issues, such as hate speech by some of your representatives who should be cautioned. We are all Nigerians, and no ethnic group should be singled out for massacre and drumbeats of war because, in the end, every side will count their losses and eventually dialogue at a round table for peace.

“We have gone too far together to set ourselves back. As one of the champions of democracy who was equally detained for activism back in my university days while you and other NADECO chieftains were in the struggle and trenches, I urge you to listen as a father and do all you can to douse the situation.”