By Ochogwu Sunday Organizers of the planned nationwide protest, scheduled for August 1 to August 10, have unveiled their key demands...
By Ochogwu Sunday
Organizers of the planned nationwide protest, scheduled for
August 1 to August 10, have unveiled their key demands from President Bola
Tinubu’s government.
DAILY POST reports that the nation’s economic situation has
propelled citizens, particularly the youths, to plan a mass protest nationwide.
Despite efforts by the government to quell the move, the
youths are insisting on embarking on the protest in the 36 states and the
Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.
Former presidential candidate of the African Action
Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, who is one of the organizers of the movement,
forwarded the demands to DAILY POST correspondent on Wednesday.
The looming protest titled, “Days of Rage”,
“EndBadGovernance” is aimed at drawing the attention of the Federal Government
to the economic situation of the country.
Among other things, the intending protesters want the FG to
return the fuel subsidy, address issues in the power sector, release the leader
of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu from the custody of the
Department of State Services, DSS, and allow for diaspora voting during general
elections
According to Sowore, Nigerians are asking the FG to “Scrap
the 1999 constitution and replace it with a people-made Constitution for the
Federal Republic of Nigeria through a sovereign National Conference followed by
a National Referendum.
“Toss the Senate arm of the Nigerian legislative system.
Keep the House of Representatives and make lawmaking a part-time endeavour.
“Pay Nigerian workers a minimum wage of nothing less than
N250,000 monthly.
“Invest heavily in education and give Nigerian students
grants not loans. Aggressively pursue free and compulsory education for
children across Nigeria.
“Release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally and demilitarize
the South East. All ENDSARS and political detainees must also be released and
compensated.
“Rationalize public owned enterprises sold to government
officials and cronies.
“Reinstate a corruption-free subsidy regime to reduce
hunger, starvation and multidimensional poverty.
“Probe past and present Nigerian leaders, who have looted
the treasury, recover their loot and deposit it in a special account to fund
education, healthcare and infrastructure.
They are also demanding the “Restructuring of Nigeria to
accommodate Nigeria’s diversity, resources control, decentralization and
regional development.
“End banditry, terrorism and violent crimes. Reform security
agencies to stop continuous human rights violations.
“Establishment of a special energy immediately to drive
massive corruption-free power sector development.
“Immediate reconstitution of the electoral body, INEC to
remove corrupt individuals and partisan hacks appointed to manipulate
elections.
“Massive investment in public works and industrialization
will help employ Nigeria’s teaming youths.
“Massive shake-ups in the Nigerian judiciary to remove
cabals of corrupt generations of judges and judicial officers that continue
denying citizens access to real justice.
“Diaspora voting”.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday appealed to
Nigerians to shelve the planned protest, urging youths to keep faith and
believe in the ability of his administration to transform Nigeria.
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