A Senior Advocate of Nigeria- designate, Monday Onyekachi Ubani has appealed to Nigerians to shelve the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest across the country following the nationwide violence that trailed the first day of the protest.
Speaking in an interview with TheScrutiny, Ubani who is one of the 87 lawyers elevated to SANship rank by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) said Nigerians have already made their points known to the federal and state governments that there is hardship in the country.
According to him, if things continue the way it was done on Thursday, the likelihood that hoodlums may hijack it is very high and that will negate the very essence of why the protest was organised.
“My appeal is that we should try and avoid anything that will snowball into a national crisis and people cannot carry out economic activities. I was watching a foreign news three days ago and I saw an African nation in war. They were totally displaced and they were walking aimlessly without any direction because of the war”.
“That is not what we want for Nigeria. So, anything that will make Nigeria to go into such situation is what every person should avoid. Yes, we need to express our grievances. We need to make government know the problem that has befallen Nigerians and ask them to address these problems”.
Ubani also appealed to government at all levels to cut down on their expenditure and use the resources of the country to address the challenges of the suffering masses.
“The government must be sensitive enough to address those issues, especially that of inflationary rate. However, in doing that, we must not destroy Nigeria. What was supposed to be a peaceful protest yesterday turned into a major crisis as lives were lost, looting and destruction of properties. People were seen attacking private cars, stealing phones and engaging in other criminal activities. Is that the purpose of the protest?”
“That was why some of the state governments were very worried when the protest was declared. Some of the governors had to go to court to obtain ex parte order to restrict the protesters to specific places in order for it to be orderly”.
“From knowledge and experience, you find out that hoodlums will hijack the process and then begin to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens”.
“I pray that this must not continue today. I am appealing to Nigerians that the point has been made that there is suffering in the land. The point has been made that prices of food items are beyond the reach of the ordinary Nigerians and people are dying of hunger and they are not enjoying the dividends of democracy. All these needs to be addressed”.
“Also, the government must also cut down on their expenditure and begin to pay more attention to development of basic infrastructure”.
