Human Rights Activist and Lawyer Tony Dania have stated that the #EndBadGovernance protest and demonstrations held across the country have achieved a good percentage of the demands made by the protesters.
In his argument, he noted that the government has been able to reduce the tension of protesters by implementing several policies that have addressed some of their demands. He listed the reduction of the price of rice, the support of Dangote’s local refinery, and the signing of the minimum wage bill into law as some of the positive government responses.
He attributed the idea of the protest to the government’s failure to enact policies that would address the people’s challenges. He noted that if the government had initiated steps to address the issues prior to the plan, there would be no tension.
The human rights activist criticised the protest organizers, noting that they had failed to lay down their concrete plans for the demonstration, which discouraged him from practising for the August 1st exercise. He also cited the possible hijacking of the process by hoodlums, which has a great tendency to push the country into a greater problem.
In lending his support for the protest, human rights lawyer Tony Dania noted that he detests any form of hijacking of the process. He explained that the reasons for the protest are well justified, noting that it would be difficult to tell area boys not to join the demonstration. At the same time, the government will counter the bad governance agitators.
Speaking further, he explained that the repeat of the #EndSARS incidents where policemen and citizens were killed should be avoided at all costs. He did not say that such incidents are unacceptable; he noted further that the politicians could also take the opportunity of the demonstrations to destroy the infrastructure of the currently at a difficult point.
He also encouraged organizers of the protest to leverage different ways of protesting and engaging the government constructively rather than taking to the streets in all instances. He explained that speaking to the press as he has done is another good way of engaging in a protest; he explained that such ways will reduce the level of damage that comes from the protest.
The legal practitioner blamed the protests on the high level of corruption among government officials at the federal, state, and local levels. He noted that level of corruption has led several individuals into poverty while a few others have heavy wealth that at the detriment of the masses, he cited the low investment in the generating income for the country as a major challenge for the low level of economic productivity.
The protest which has been planned for over a month, has started in different states of the country, with the demonstration heavily seen in Lagos and Abuja, the nation capitals, on arrival in the early hours of August first residents woke up to the presence of heavily armed security agencies in different parts of the cities.
The protest has since commenced in Abuja, Lagos, and Kano.
