You can’t suppress right to protest, Youth Assembly tells FG

Youths in Ogun State on Friday declared that it’s “unjust to suppress right to protest,” following the ongoing planned nationwide protest over economic hardship in the country.

There are pressures from security agencies and the Federal Government to stop the planned nationwide protest slated for August 1.

The group under the aegis of Ogun Youth Assembly (OYA) said Nigerian youths are calling for the protest because of “widespread hunger, hardship, and abject poverty.”

The Chairman of OYA, Barrister Habeeb Whyte, said this at a press conference held in Abeokuta, the state capital.

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Whyte said the group will not be participating in the protest, but admitted that Nigerians have right to protest.

According to him, the youth group believed in dialogue rather than demonstrations to achieve a result.

He called on Governor Dapo Abiodun to immediately convene a series of public engagements with the youth across all the Senatorial districts of the state following the looming nationwide protest over economic crisis and hardship in Nigeria.

Whyte said the group held an engagement with the Governor Abiodun, on Tuesday, following the growing tension over the planned protest.

He said the body appreciated Abiodun’s willingness to engage further and encouraged by his commitment to continue these discussions.

“The Ogun Youth Assembly (OYA), representing the teeming young people who form over 70% of Ogun State’s population, deem it imperative to address the nation at this critical and crucial juncture. Nigerian youths, driven by widespread hunger, hardship, and abject poverty, are rightfully expressing their frustrations and calling for protest.

“Currently, the average Nigerian is enduring unprecedented hardship characterised by severely diminished purchasing power, lack of basic amenities, and a shortened life expectancy.

“This crisis is closely linked to the nation’s economic state. As a demographic grappling with a bleak future and uncertainty, it is only natural for the youths to seek avenues for expression and redress. It is unjust to suppress their right to protest when they are being battered by such dire conditions.

“While acknowledging that the dire straits affecting Nigerians can largely be traced to the policies of the Federal Government, we affirm that accountability spans all levels of government, including local authorities.

“Going forward, we want to emphatically announce that the era of lethargic local government is over. There will no longer be space for non-performing local government chairmen and ward councillors now that the nation has moved toward local government autonomy,” he said.

Whyte said OYA recognises “the inherent right of all Nigerians to peaceful protest, yet we are also acutely aware of the potential for such protests to devolve into destructive actions, especially during times of heightened emotional intensity. It is crucial to pursue dialogue even as we seek change through peaceful demonstration.”