S’East Youths Mull Suspending Nationwide Protests, Laud Tinubu

Some youths in the South-East Region of Nigeria say the planned nationwide protests should be suspended to avoid innocent casualties.

Our correspondent reports that the protests were scheduled from August 1 to 10, 2024, with the promoters attributing the aim to pressurize the federal government to rescind some of its harsh policies as well as adopt cost-saving governance models.

The National Coordinator, South-East Young Leaders Forum (SEYLF), GOC Nwadike, advised Igbo youths not to participate in the protest.

According to him, “Let Ndigbo remain calm and peaceful. Remember we like endangered species before some people. We have no reason to protest. President Bola Tinubu has just signed the South-East Development Commission bill into law. This commission will ensure the development of our region. The commission will be getting allocations from the federal government for the development of South East, the same way Niger-Delta Commission is developing the Niger Delta region of the country.

“We don’t need to protest because the same Tinubu administration is looking into the creation of an additional state in South East, to make it six as obtainable in other geopolitical zones of the country. These two issues have been neglected over the years by succeeding leaderships in the country. Also, Igbo leaders, championed by Gov Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, as well as Ohanaeze Ndigbo are strongly negotiating with the president for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra. If this is achieved, the tension in our region due to youth restiveness and insecurity will be a thing of the past. We shouldn’t protest even all through President Tinubu’s eight years in office.”

Chukwuemeka Ilogbaka, from Alor, Anambra State, said protests should be controlled to avoid untoward outcomes.

According to him, “Let the protests be situated at specified areas. It is expected that the protesters gather in designated areas, while concerned government officials make themselves available to answer their questions. Allowing the protests to become road rallies could turn the acts to violence. The stated designations should also be well secured. Nigerians are angry because our leaders have failed us.”

However, Oscar Okemiri, leader, South East Network for Progress, said, “The protests should be held. My only advice is that it should not be hijacked. Protest is a democratic principle globally accepted. Rather than calling for the cancellation of the protests, Tinubu should get the views expressed by the protesters and use them appropriately in his government. The protests should be a means to aggregate public opinions, which is good for our democracy.”

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Benjamin Kalu, had on Wednesday told the people of the South East not to participate in the protests, but should rather give the Tinubu administration their full support.