Hardship Protest: Atiku Releases Statement, Hits Tinubu’s Govt
- Former vice president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has said that citizens are 'caught up in hunger, anger, and hopelessness'
- Atiku expressed solidarity with some Nigerians who are determined to stage a two-week protest
- Legit.ng understands that the protest is intended to show displeasure with the current state of the Nigerian economy
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public economic matters and politics.
FCT, Abuja - Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 and 2023 elections, has said that the rights of citizens to protest are enshrined in the Nigerian constitution and affirmed by the country’s courts.
In a statement posted on social media which he personally signed on Tuesday, July 23, Atiku, a former vice-president and presidential hopeful, advised the Bola Tinubu government not to ‘chase shadows’.
![Hardship: Atiku backs nationwide protest Hardship: Atiku backs nationwide protest](https://cdn.legit.ng/images/1120/e9024a66ce8deb38.jpeg?v=1)
Source: Facebook
The PDP chieftain asserted that “a responsible government must ensure a safe and secure environment for citizens to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights to peaceful protest.”
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Atiku wrote on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle:
“Chasing shadows and contriving purported persons behind the planned protests is an exercise in futility when it is obvious that Nigerians, including supporters of Tinubu and the ruling APC, are caught up in the hunger, anger, and hopelessness brought about by the incompetence and cluelessness of this government.
“It is deeply ironic that those who now seek to stifle these rights were themselves leading protests in 2012.
“A responsible government must ensure a safe and secure environment for citizens to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights to peaceful protest.
“Any attempt to suppress these rights is not only unconstitutional but a direct affront to our democracy.”
Legit.ng reports that a nationwide protest is planned to express dissatisfaction with the current hardship in Nigeria. The demonstration is slated for August 1 to 15.
More to read on planned hardship protest
- “Members will not be participating”: Miyetti Allah speaks on planned hardship protests
- "They want to set Nigeria on fire": Why middlebelt will boycott planned nationwide protest
- "Be patient": Tinubu, traditional chiefs send crucial message to Nigerians over planned protests
Tinubu begs youths to shelve hardship protests
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Tinubu asked youths planning to embark on the planned nationwide protests against hunger and hardship policies to shelve their plan.
Mohammed Idris, the minister of information and national orientation, disclosed this after a meeting with President Tinubu on Tuesday, July 23.
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Source: Legit.ng