Coalition of Youths, Civil Societies, Ethnic Nationalities and Students in Plateau State Pullout of Planned August 1st National Protest

A Coalition of Youths, Civil Societies, Ethnic Nationalities and Students has called on the Federal Government to Speed Up intervention and reverse policies that have led to economic downturns in the country, making life difficult for the masses. This according to them will alleviate the economic pressure on Nigerians which is responsible for the recent calls for a National Protest. The group also said that they were pulling out of the proposed protest, as the demands are unrealistic and the organizers remain unknown.

Speaking to Journalists on behalf of the coalition on the Topic ‘A Grand Design for the Enthronement of Anarchy and National Instability through Chaotic Protests – a call on Nigerians to Reject it’, in Jos the Plateau State Capital on Tuesday 30th July 2024, spokesperson of the group Comrade Prince Miaphen said that reports reaching them has it that some unidentified persons were planning to take undue advantage of the protests to cause chaos, burn public building and loot business locations with the city of Jos.

He called on the youths in the State not to participate as the protest will be hijacked and undue pains and hardship will be visited on the poor masses.

“We had christened the title of our press release or press conference as a ground design for the enthronement of anarchy and national disunity, national instability through chaotic protests, a call to Nigerians to reject it.”

“The truth is this, yes, there is hungry and there is hunger in the land, but yet we cannot be stupid. Our roof are obviously leaking, there is no doubt about that. But we cannot set our houses ablaze. We are severally challenged, but we are not hopeless. Let a better sense prevail. We as a group would rather advocate for dialogue and constructive engagement with governments at all level, both at the state and at the federal level, in finding a way to resolving our national challenge as a people.”

“Initially, ab initio, when this protesting started, it was tagged and bad governance. Most of us that are in the civil society, groups and organizations were willing to participate in the said protest, believing that, yes, certainly we ought not to have been where we are and we mustn’t have gotten what we require to as a people. But when the narrative started changing from end bad governance to end government, we now realized that there is another motive that is different from the initial proposed protest.”

“And we felt, based on the recent past experiences and challenges that we’ve had as a people, we cannot be part of such an arrangement that will further take us back to where we are or where we’ve been coming from. So as a people, I want to make it very clear, I want to make it very known that, one, we are not part and parcel of the proposed protest and that, two, we would not be participating in the said protest.”

“And we are mobilizing all our allies, all our co comrades across board, not to participate in the August 1 protest. Reasons being that, one, just like it has always been, clearly said, we don’t know the organizers. Two, the rhymes and rhythm of those organizing this protest does not show, that it will be peaceful. Government buildings, private businesses have been targeted.”

“As I speak to you, we’ve had communications, we have even had persons or people that have reached out to some of us in trying to let us know that the protest itself is aimed at ending this government, aimed at destroying government facilities, private facilities, and even individual hard earned businesses. And as such, we would not be part and parcel to it. If this protest goes on has been planned with the kind of sinister motive they have, I can assure you that the first set of casualties will be the poor of the poorest, because even little businesses will be affected.”

“Capital flight will be affected. Industries will be affected. Most of our industries will be attacked, looted and destroyed. It is evident and is obvious from the kind of words and the kind of demands coming in from the organizers of this protest.”

“We are aware, and we know too well that government in its own self is putting in modalities, and strategies to ensuring that we are better as a people. Yes, to us, we have said it. Having critically X-rayed the Tinubu administration, we might not have been where we ought to be. And to us, one year itself is too soon to judge the lifespan of a government.”

“So we would rather encourage, continue to dialogue. We would rather continue to engage government at all levels to ensuring that most of these are demands are being met. So it’s a current call to our people, all the youth groups here, civil societies, ethnic nationalities, and everyone that is here that were on the same page that God’s willing, would not participate in the nationwide.”