Protesters in the ongoing #ENDBADGOVERNANCEINNIGERIA movement have rejected the federal government’s offer to hold meetings with the leadership of the groups involved in the protests, which have been taking place in some states since Thursday.
In a press briefing at Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos, on Monday, Comrade Hassan, also known as Soweto, one of the leaders of the movement criticized President Bola Tinubu’s Sunday address to Nigerians.
Hassan stated that the president’s speech failed to address the issues of hardship faced by Nigerians and instead defended the government’s failures.
Hassan described the president’s speech as “a wasted effort” and accused him of deceit. He rejected the idea of dialogue with the government.
He said: “President Tinubu’s speech is a wasted effort. So, why do we say so? Tinubu ignored our demands in his speech. It was a deceit.
“He spent the entire 20 minutes of his address to defend the failures of his government. We shall hold no meeting with President Tinubu. He should hold meetings with those who have been killed by security agents during the protests.”
Hassan emphasized that the protests are not about region, religion, or tribe but about the unity of Nigerians in the face of hardship.
In his words: “This is not about religion, region or tribe. This is about the unity of people who have decided to work as ane entity” for the betterment of their society.
He vowed that the protesters would not accept the president’s speech as a solution to their struggles.
Despite this, Hassan saw the president’s address as a triumph for Nigerians, as it acknowledged the significance of the protests. He challenged the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to take action to address the country’s economic issues.”
