This is even as the group noted on Saturday that the current administration is shifting towards dictatorship and tyranny.
The All Workers Convergence group has condemned the President Bola Tinubu-led administration for its reaction to the recently held #EndBadGovernance protests.
This is even as the group noted on Saturday that the current administration is shifting towards dictatorship and tyranny.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, who is also the former Chairman TUC Oyo state, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, the group lampooned the Tinubu administration.
“The reactions of the Tinubu-led administration to the recent protest in Nigeria tagged, #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria, #EndHardship and #EndHunger, has shown clearly that government is not yet ready to accept her lapses and make corrections. Rather than adjust and improve the living conditions of Nigerians, government is focusing on finding who to blame for the legitimate protest.”
“The energy invested by government to divert attention of the mass populace to the allusions of the protest being sponsored by foreigners is enough to meet up with the demands of the protesters, an indication of a government that is not yet ready to get to work.”
The group noted that the situations that led to the protests are still very much prominent and are unattended to.
“The prevailing situation that led to the protest is still very prominent and unattended to. It is as if the protest has no impact. Government has remained adamant and rather prefers to pursue frivolities and chasing shadows around instead of tackling the problems created by the removal of subsidy on petrol.”
“Hunger has been biting harder on Nigerians since the forceful removal of fuel subsidy. Government has not been able to address the unprecedented hardship Nigerians are facing since the announcement that subsidy is gone by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
The statement also stated that more Nigerians had been resorting to suicide more than before.
“All we have been seeing and hearing has been failed promises. Hence, more and more of our people have resorted to suicide more than ever before. There is insecurity everywhere and our naira has continued to lose value. It is now as if governance under Tinubu is a death sentence to Nigerians.”
“It is a case of zero governance everywhere and our people are frustrated and fed up to the extent that some people are now calling for the return to military rule, a confirmation that this government is now very very unpopular and it is gradually losing legitimacy.”
The group also noted that they feel angered that the government tagged the protests as being sponsored by foreigners including the witch-hunt of the Nigeria Labour Congress President, Joe Ajaero.
“We the people of Nigeria feel insulted that our government is alleging that our legitimate protest against hunger is being sponsored by perceived foreigners or a foreigner. This is an affront on the Nigerian people. Does it mean that We cannot think on our own ? Nigerians deserves an apology from government for this ridiculous downgrading of the citizenry.”
“This government is being accused of dishing out bad governance and most unfortunately, government is justifying this public outcry through the continuous rebranding of same horrible bad governance to more and more decline. Governance under Tinubu has been like a gangster, more of a mafia group or a drug cartel, that will seek all means possible to eliminate rivals or opposition.”
“This, we have seen in the unholy invasion of the NLC headquarters, the killings and arrest of protesters, freezing accounts of protesters, arrest and detention of activist, journalist and the nascent attempt to arrest the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajearo.”
“Some others have been taunted with allegations of subversion, treasonable felony and terrorism. It is now as if Tinubu wants to turn Nigeria into the Orwellian "Animal farm". We are aware that Tinubu has a history of tormenting genuine labour leadership, as governor of Lagos State, he retrenched workers and he did not rest until he sacked Comrade Ayodele Akele from the Lagos State civil service and never paid him his severance benefits.”
“We are therefore not surprised that a bookshop is raided in search of perceived enemies and eventually trying to make society believe alleged treason inorder to set up the NLC leadership. We are just wondering how writing and publishing of books has become an act of terrorism ? Our people are aware that attacking the educational base of an institution is basically an attempt to destroy that institution.We the Nigerian workers will not sit down and watch the destruction of our shared values.”
They also accused the Tinubu led administration of having a hidden agenda, urging that Nigeria should not be plunged into war.
“The propagation and desperation we have seen so far from the Tinubu administration suggest a government with a hidden agenda. Hence, we are raising this alarm that Mr President must not plunge Nigeria into war.”
“What President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has failed to acknowledge is that sovereignty of Nigeria lies in the hands of the Nigerian people and that he is just a gate keeper and a steward to the Nigerian people; and that when his actions becomes inimical to the people, he could be revolted against . Tinubu needs to be guided that in a democracy, the people have the rights to their opinions about government ,thus treasonable felony and subversion is purely militaristic and does not have a place in a genuine democracy.”
“Therefore , the threats, intimidation, harassment and killings of protesters is an aberration.” the statement read.
It was further alleged that governance under Tinubu is gradually receding to despotism, dictatorship and tyranny hence “the government is becoming an existential threat to the our collective good.”
“The IGP and Mr President is held responsible for the harrasment and killings of armless and innocent protesters nationwide.”
They demanded the sacking of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) “for the authorisation of the police to use live ammunitions against protesters.”
Other demands include;
“The immediate cessation of harrasment and or arrest of protest activist and the unconditional release of all arrested in connection to the protest.”
“The return of the industrial union books taken from the Iva Valley bookshop in the NLC headquarters.”
They also demanded for the “Immediate opening of our borders to allow for the passage of food items and other services.”
“implementation of the new national minimum wage.”
Some others include, the return of full subsidy on petroleum products, free and compulsory education at all levels and the abolition of the student loan scheme.
It was also stated that if the government does not implement the demands of the recent#EndHunger protest, latest 30th September,2024, there would be commencement of phase two of the end bad governance protest from 1st October,2024.
They urged Nigerians to prepare for more and more protest nationwide if government continues to stubbornly resist the agitations for the goodlife of our people.
“We therefore call on Nigerians to prepare ahead and start mobilisation towards the transformation of this protest to a liberation struggle to free our people from misrule.” the statement read.