Nigerians have been urged to join the Take It Back Movement’s rallies aimed at drawing attention to the hardship and insecurity under President Bola Tinubu’s government, today.
The National Coordinator, Take It Back Movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, made the call in an interview with newsmen, on Wednesday.
He said, “the unprecedented hardship and insecurity we have experienced under his government are alarming.
“Nigerians should come out in their numbers. They have no reason to fear. The worst has happened, and the only way to stop the escalating level of our sorrow, tears and blood we are witnessing is to actually do something by protesting tomorrow. We have nothing to fear and we have nothing to lose but our chains”, he added.
Speaking further, he said the protest is expected to draw participants from various civil society groups
He disclosed their intention to take their campaign against economic hardship to the political leaders, stating that the shift in protest location did not alter the objective of the demonstration.
“That we earlier said the protest would hold at the Eagle Square doesn’t foreclose the fact that Nigerians cannot organise themselves at the National Assembly to protest the two years of misrule under Tinubu.
“ Nigerians should turn out nationwide to protest against the hardship and the National Assembly is one of those spaces where Nigerians can exercise their constitutional rights. We are encouraging Nigerians to move there in their numbers tomorrow (today).”
“All Nigerians from different walks of life have been mobilised, Nigerians are coming to the streets tomorrow (today) to demand an end to bad governance.
“Nigerians have nothing to lose. Nigerians have been beaten and battered. We are like people who are on the ground; we should have no fear of falling. It is also their constitutional right to protest.
“They have no reason to fear. The worst has happened, and the only way to stop the escalating level of our sorrow, tears and blood they are witnessing is to actually do something by protesting tomorrow. We have nothing to fear and we have nothing to lose but our chains”, he stated.
The activist said despite the attacks on some coordinators in Lagos, Gombe, Bauchi and Edo, among others, the protest would go on as scheduled.
“Presently, there has been a nationwide attack on organisers, but we are not deterred. The Bauchi state executives of TIB are being hounded by the police.
“In Gombe, Cross-River, Edo and Lagos, our coordinators are being hounded. We are convinced the only way to end the era of worse governance is defiance; that is what we are going to be doing fearlessly,” he noted.
Sanyaolu, however, cautioned security agencies, particularly police, against arresting or violating the rights of citizens to protest.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu is expected to address a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives today as part of Democracy Day activities.
Tinubu had cancelled the previously scheduled nationwide broadcast in commemoration of Nigeria’s 26th Democracy Day anniversary.
The Director of Information and Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen, in a statement on Wednesday, attributed the change to the President’s scheduled attendance at a joint session of the National Assembly today.
He added that the President would instead deliver his Democracy Day address directly from the National Assembly chambers.
“Due to President Bola Tinubu’s scheduled attendance at the National Assembly Joint Session, the Presidential National Broadcast on June 12 has been cancelled. President Tinubu will deliver his address from the National Assembly,” Imohiosen said.
