A 10-day protest, which commenced on August 1, 2024, is underway in Nigeria to draw attention to the pervasive hunger and suffering across the country.
The Lagos State chapter of the African Action Congress (AAC) has condemned President Bola Tinubu's nationwide broadcast on the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest, labelling it a "collective insult to our intelligence."
A 10-day protest, which commenced on August 1, 2024, is underway in Nigeria to draw attention to the pervasive hunger and suffering across the country.
According to a statement released on Sunday by Osatohamhen Ebhohon, Public Relations Officer of the African Action Congress (AAC) Lagos State chapter, President Tinubu has neglected to address the protesters' 15 demands, which focus on making essential necessities affordable and accessible to all.
"Tinubu's refusal to revisit and reverse these policies shows that he has no interest in the welfare of Nigerians and Lagosians," the statement reads.
President Tinubu's speech focused on the implementation of International Monetary Fund (IMF) reforms, which he described as necessary.
However, the AAC contends that these policies have worsened the material conditions of Nigerians over the past year.
"Economic policies are meant to improve the life of the working people, not worsen it," the AAC stated.
The AAC also emphasised that the Nigerian constitution guarantees the right to peaceful protest and assembly. It urged Lagosians not to be deterred by state-sponsored thugs.
"Do not let Lagos State sponsored thugs threaten you not to protest. They do not pay your rent nor feed you," the statement asserted.
The AAC called on the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to control APC thugs, warning that continued repression would only escalate public anger.
"The people's rage is growing by the day. If you continue to use sponsored criminals to prevent them from expressing their pain, the rage will build up to the peak," the AAC warned.
The organisation therefore urged Lagosians to join the protest massively on August 5, stating that it is time to break free from the "chains that Tinubu and his thugs have put us in."
They reiterated that the government must prioritise the welfare of its citizens over political ambitions.