Comrade Faduri Oluwadare Joseph, popularly known as Fadojoe, a former presidential aspirant under the Labour Party and the leader of the Rescue Movement For New Nigeria (Rescue The Vulnerable Initiative), has urged youths planning a peaceful protest to maintain its peaceful nature and not allow it to be hijacked by thugs.
Fadojoe also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government to refrain from using security forces against peaceful protesters. He emphasized that protest is a legitimate means for citizens to express dissatisfaction with government policies.
“This protest being planned by Nigerians is long overdue. Protest is simply a way of expressing dissatisfaction with the government anywhere in the world, even in America where we have better governance, the people still stage peaceful protests, and police will only be out to ensure law and order is maintained. The government will always give the protesters listening ears as they know they are exercising their right to self-expression,” Fadojoe stated.
He pointed out that the current government policies are unfavorable and citizens have the right to protest when suffering. He warned against politicizing or trivializing the protest by attributing it to specific ethnic groups, noting that hardship affects all Nigerians equally regardless of ethnicity.
Fadojoe highlighted the economic challenges faced by Nigerians, including job losses, company exits, and the depreciation of the Naira. He criticized the government’s extravagant spending amidst the removal of subsidies and urged the youths to keep the protest peaceful and not be used by politicians to incite violence.
He also called on the Nigerian police and other security personnel to avoid using force against peaceful protesters, reminding them that they too are affected by the same economic hardships. He appealed to President Tinubu, who has a history of participating in protests, to respect the rights of citizens to peaceful protest.
“I, Joseph Oluwadare Faduri aka Fadojoe, support this peaceful protest because protest is a way of expressing displeasure by the masses. And I call on members of our Rescue Movement For New Nigeria across the country to also be part of the peaceful protest. No doubt right now, things are going bad in the country and it just can’t continue this way,” Fadojoe concluded.
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