CSOs to Tinubu: Address protesters’ demands, commence dialogue

Some civil society organisations (CSOs) have called on President Bola Tinubu to address the demands of the #EndBadGovernance protesters.

In a statement, 13 CSOs said Tinubu’s 38-paragraph speech in his nationwide broadcast on Sunday did not address the immediate demands of the protesters.

On August 1, Nigerian youths started a 10-day nationwide protest against bad governance and the rising cost of living.

The CSOs said Tinubu only responded to the need for increased investment in agriculture and student loan disbursement.

The organisations said the president neglected crucial matters such as “protection of farms and farmers, human capital development, electoral reform, establishing a living wage, and constitutional and judicial reforms”.

“Yesterday, on the fourth day of the nationwide #EndBadGovernance peaceful protests, the President finally addressed the nation. In the 38-paragraph speech, he highlighted some of the government’s policies to course-correct the economy largely in the medium to long term,” the statement reads.

“Unfortunately, he did not address the core demands of Nigerians across the country who are calling for good governance and immediate change from the downward trend in accountability and social development.

“He also failed to acknowledge that the security force’s response to protesters had resulted in the extra-judicial killing of several protesters and missed the opportunity to assure the nation that their perpetrators would be held accountable.

“The Nigerian government must not forget that sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria, from whom government, through this constitution, derives all its powers and authority.

“Section 14(2)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), thus it is imperative to engage citizens from the perspective of their needs within their stated demands.

“Over the last few weeks, Nigerians have planned, mobilised, curated different demands, and given the government adequate notice.

“We recognise that citizens have taken ownership of the demand to #EndBadGovernance and have contributed to the list of demands in circulation from their pain points.

“The president has expressed the government’s openness to dialogue with protesters on these demands.

“It is therefore our candid advice that this is pursued by officials and representatives of both sides with sincerity of purpose.”

The CSOs urged Tinubu to commence the proposed dialogue with the release of all “peaceful protesters” arrested and impose sanctions against security officers who attacked them.

“We remind the government that should security forces continue to aggravate protesters, it may become difficult to broker dialogue,” the CSOs added.

“It is our recommendation that representatives of the National Peace Committee and reputable civil society groups serve as facilitators and observers of this dialogue process and its outcomes.”

The statement was signed by Accountability Lab Nigeria, BudgIT Foundation, Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Yiaga Africa, and Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria.

Others are #FixPolitics, Global Rights, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), Sesor Empowerment Foundation, TechHer, and Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC).