The Arewa Youth Ambassadors, a northern advocacy group, have declared that they will not back down on their planned protest against economic hardship, tagged #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria, scheduled for August 1 across Nigeria. The group attributes the current economic crisis and the difficulties facing Nigerians to the harsh and anti-people policies implemented by President Bola Tinubu’s administration. They are demanding the reinstatement of the fuel subsidy.
In a press conference held in Abuja, Comrade Yahaya Abdullahi, speaking on behalf of the group, criticized the government’s lack of a clear economic strategy, which he views as a threat to justice. He condemned the administration for its lack of transparency and accountability, asserting that the government has only brought hardship and pain to the people.
Yahaya emphasized that no amount of blackmail or intimidation from the government, security agencies, or their agents would deter them from exercising their constitutional rights and expressing their grievances. He urged Nigerians to join the protest en masse until the government meets their demands and reverses the fuel price hike.
“Justice is the foundation of a social system,” the statement read. “When a nation is plagued by unreasonable actions that deprive citizens of essentials for a good life and adequate healthcare, it teeters on the brink of disharmony and frustration. To promote peace, a government must be honest and just. Peace is essential for sustainable development, and it must be accompanied by justice to foster national cooperation, inclusiveness, and trust.”
Yahaya blamed the severe economic crisis on the harsh policies of the Tinubu-led government. He accused the administration of lacking transparency and consensus, aiming to reduce the populace to poverty and beggary. He particularly criticized the abrupt removal of the fuel subsidy, which he said has thrown the masses into a state of misfortune and suffering.
He condemned the unequal distribution of food and money to the friends and family of those in power, calling it unacceptable and insufficient to solve the country’s problems. He demanded the immediate reinstatement of the fuel subsidy.
“Nigerians have been subjected to untold suffering through reckless public utterances and insupportable economic policies,” he continued. “This leaves them no choice but to express their frustration and anger through acceptable means. Protest is our right. We must protest against the ongoing bad governance. We can’t continue living as slaves in our own country. We must speak and fight for ourselves; nobody else can do it for us.”
Yahaya called on the youth to take to the streets on August 1. He warned that if the government fails to reverse the policies that have plunged the populace into poverty and hunger, the protests will continue until August 10, 2024, or even beyond.
“We must act to bring change to our fatherland,” he declared. “The government has failed, and the youth must act. People are dying of hunger, and nobody cares. No nation can survive on hunger, not even when water, essential for life, is denied. Therefore, our planned protest is necessary and inevitable. There will be no backing out unless the government changes course and provides relief for Nigerians.”
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