Anya-Ndi-Igbo
2 Felix Chucks Okoye Close. Independence Layout, Enugu. Enugu State.
e-mail info.anyandigbo@gmail.com
Tuesday July 30th, 2024.
ANYA-NDI-IGBO STATEMENT ON:
THE NIGERIA THAT WORKS FOR ALL: PROTEST, DIALOGUE OR BOTH.
Nigeria is at a crossroads and there is palpable fear in all
the nooks and crannies of the country. The anxiety has
been heightened by the proposed country-wide protest
tagged #EndBadGovernance, scheduled to run from
August 1 to 10, 2024. More disconcerting is the seeming
panic in government circles and threats of punitive action
against the would-be protesters.
To be sure, the act of protest is legitimate and a veritable
feedback mechanism in a democracy, which affords the
citizens the opportunity to express their dissatisfaction
with government policies and actions. Through peaceful
protests, aggrieved citizens are able to publicly voice their
concerns and challenge acts of injustice, and by so doing,
not only participate actively but also deepen the
democratic process.
So fundamental is the right to peaceful protest that it is
enshrined in international human rights instruments,
including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR), the African Charter on Human and Peoples’
Rights, and, indeed, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
It is also worth noting that Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999
Constitution states that the security and welfare of the
people shall be the primary purpose of government.
Therefore, while it is the right of aggrieved citizens to
protest peacefully, it is also the responsibility of
government to give them maximum protection.
While protests serve as a vital mechanism for holding
leaders accountable and ensuring that their actions reflect
the will and needs of the people, there is ample evidence
that government’s manifest highhandedness and covert
attempts to suppress such mass actions and popular
ventilation of public grievances through intimidation,
excessive use of force, or unjust legal actions always end
up being counterproductive.
The national imperative, therefore, is for both leaders and
citizens to truthfully and sincerely examine the current
state of affairs and agree on genuine actions for achieving
security and implementing programs that give true
meaning to the twin concepts of citizens’ welfare and
well-being. It is a fact that without achieving the primary
purpose of government, which is good governance, the
accomplishment of any other purpose is impossible.
Since those in authority have acknowledged that the
welfare and well-being of the citizens have been
challenged by government’s fiscal measures, there is need
for restraint in dealing with citizens who are voicing their
frustrations. Moreover, in a country where peace is
historically tenuous, creating factions by fabricating
accusations against individuals and nationalities is an ill-
wind. We urge the security services to refrain from
making bogus announcements of findings that suggest
particular interests are fomenting trouble without
providing evidence. Leadership is serious business; it
should not be trivialized.
Protests by their very nature are peaceful unless infiltrated
and it is the responsibility of government to forestall such
infiltration by identifying and arresting such malcontents
who are the real enemies of the Nigerian state.
In consideration of the foregoing, we make the following
points as our contribution to dousing the current tension
in the land, for consideration and implementation:
1. Rather than threatening to clamp down on beleaguered
citizens who are only clamouring for a Nigeria where life
is meaningful, the President and Commander-in-Chief
should address citizens on the actual state of the nation
and what the government is doing to address the
perversive anomie.
2. The detribalized pressure group, the Patriots, led by
Chief Emeka Anyaoku,GCON;whose credibility and
patriotism are not in doubt, should be nominated to
mediate between the Government and the groups of
aggrieved Nigerians with a view to proffering workable
and implementable solutions to the current crisis.
3. If all entreaties fail and the planned protests must go
on, then the security of the protesters and the sanctity of
the protest must be guaranteed by all stakeholders,
especially the security operatives.
Anya-Ndi-Igbo believes in a Nigeria that works for all.
Good governance should be a given and not something to
fight for. Good governance is achievable.
Long live Nigeria.
Signed
Elder Dr. Uma Eleazu Engr. Chris Okoye
Chairman,BOT President
Anya-Ndi-Igbo Anya-Ndi-Igbo
Okey Nwadinobi Ikechukwu Amaechi
Secretary Chairman, Media &
Anya-Ndi-Igbo Strategic Communication
Anya-Ndi-Igbo
