Baba-Ahmed spoke on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television.
The vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed says the real motives behind the #EndSARS protest are yet to be uncovered.
Baba-Ahmed spoke on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television.
Though the #EndSARS movement started a few years ago, the protest went into full swing on October 7, 2020, with demonstrations across major cities in Nigeria.
The protests gained widespread acceptance both on the streets and on social media as celebrities added their voices in support of the movement.
On October 11, 2020, Adamu Mohammed, a former Inspector-General of Police, announced the disbandment of SARS, and on the same day, the protesters presented a five-point demand to the Nigerian government.
However, despite the disbandment of SARS, the protests continued as other demands had not been met.
The protests were later hijacked by hoodlums suspected to have been sponsored by the government and their representatives.
On October 20, 2020, in what appeared to be an attempt to disperse the #EndSARS protesters, officers of the Nigerian Army stormed the Lekki tollgate and shot sporadically.
Commenting on the #EndSARS protests, Baba-Ahmed said he would love to know the politicians behind the movement.
“The real motives behind #EndSARS are yet to be really uncovered. It may not be possible that in this era to really really know what EndSARS was and what really was behind it.
“I’m one of those who would want to get to the root, behind the root of whatever motives that were there. Those individuals, the political underpinnings to what give rise to EndSARS is what I will like to know,” he said.
But in a strange twist, when asked if Peter Obi/Datti-Baba-Ahmed administration will allow Nigerians to protest in a civil manner if elected into office, the LP vice-presidential candidate said: “Absolutely yes.”
“Put this on record. I wouldn’t as a leader invite people to come out to protest but whenever there is a legitimate, good, peaceful rally or demonstration, I will be proud as a leader,” he added.
“I will welcome the fellow citizens, speak with their leaders, bring them out of the streets, go to a roundtable, discuss; we will come out and jointly address the crowd.
“I’m fully in support of people claiming and taking their legitimate rights. I will be in support of it if elected as a leader.
“I assure you that Peter Obi is also like that. He has encouraged us in his team to be like that so long as rules are followed.”
WATCH: Labour Party Vice-Presidential Candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed Questions Real Motive Behind #EndSARS, Says There’s Political Underpinning To Protest By Nigerian Youths pic.twitter.com/VUSUhuTjMr
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) October 21, 2022