₦airaland Forum

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana has urged the Federal Government to listen to the demands of the organisers ahead of the August 1, 2024, nationwide planned protest in the country.

Falana, a human rights activist, also cautioned the FG not to threaten the protesters as such could exacerbate the situation.

While featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday, Falana said, “How do you identify those who are issuing statements; those who are planning the protest, and then engage with them productively?

“But threats do not work. In fact, on some occasions, the desperation of the government also has a way of popularising such protests.”

He also noted that state governors should hold talks with residents and make them aware of their plans to ameliorate the hardship ravaging the country.

The legal practitioner stated, “So, this time around the government should try to identify the leaders of the movement and then engage them, and then the questions be raised. There are demands that are being made, and the government should address these demands.

“Between now and August 1 is still a long way and I understand the government is going to address the nation. It is also important for governors to come out and let the people know what they are doing to address hardship in the country which nobody is denying.”

Over the past week, calls for a nationwide hunger protest have been gaining traction across social media.

Addressing the matter on Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu, through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, appealed to Nigerians who plan to stage nationwide hunger protests to shelve the plan as he called on citizens to give his administration enough time to respond to their requests.

“On the issue of the planned protest, Mr. President does not see any need for that. He asked them to shelve that plan and he has asked them to await the government’s response to all their pleas,” Idris said after a closed-door meeting with the president.

However, there’ve been calls from other quarters urging the FG to allow concerned Nigerians to proceed with the planned protest.

“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,” former Vice President and key opposition figure, Atiku Abubakar said on Tuesday in a tweet via his X handle, #atiku.

Also, Amnesty International on Tuesday advocated citizens’ right to engage in the hunger protest, saying, “Threatening peaceful protesters is unlawful. It is a clear attack on freedom of assembly — which is guaranteed by international law and Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution:

“Nigerians must not be denied the constitutionally and internationally guaranteed right to peaceful protest; through veiled threats of violence and false insinuations.”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/dont-threaten-organisers-of-planned-nationwide-protest-falana-warns-fg/%3famp

No going back on the August 1st protest 🪧 nationwide. Petroleum is now #800 per litre. In some part, it’s #850 per litre. Enough of oppression in the land.

I will join the protest

Falana should tell ibos to go to the east to protest.... Let everyone go back to their states of origin to protest.....

Let everyone go back to their state of origin to cry for bad governance.

Lagos is not Nigeria.

JASONjnr:
Falana should tell ibos to go to the east to protest.... Let everyone go back to their states of origin to protest.....

Let everyone go back to their state of origin to cry for bad governance.

Lagos is not Nigeria.

Tribalism has rendered you use. Less. This is a nation wide hunger protest not a Lagos protest, I think y'all bigotries should get this straight.

The country is out of balance. I could remember how the north supported Buhari but regret later. It's normal for people to be blinded by sentiments.

Nlfpmod fergie001 mynd44 Dominique ishilove missyB3 Fp

PerfectStranger:
Tribalism has rendered you use. Less. This is a nation wide hunger protest not a Lagos protest, I think y'all bigotries should get this straight.

You need to work on your reasoning....

Whether you calm it a worldwide protest..... You can't travel from Nigeria to Ghana to protest.

Simple thing is, go to your state and protest where you elected a governor.

I'm sure, if there's a single governor that's doing extremely well... Nobody from that state would love to risk it's life to protest because of the benefits they receive from their state governors.....where the benefits gets to them wherever they reside...

Call it bigotry or tribalism.... It doesn't make sense....if you goto Lagos to destroy their properties where Enugu properties are intact, yet Enugu governor is below the performance of the Lagos governor.

Politicians are very very dangerous

You destroy any gov. property, you will be shot dead

JASONjnr:
Falana should tell ibos to go to the east to protest.... Let everyone go back to their states of origin to protest.....

Let everyone go back to their state of origin to cry for bad governance.

Lagos is not Nigeria.

Rice is 8kg per 50Kg bag in Lagos abi?

Ebin pawa was coined in Lagos

Didijiji:
Rice is 8kg per 50Kg bag in Lagos abi?

Ebin pawa was coined in Lagos

Is the rice sold 50kobo in the Southeast?

If it's cheaper in your region, why not relocate to your region to have a good living over there?

JASONjnr:
Is the rice sold 50kobo in the Southeast?

If it's cheaper in your region, why not relocate to your region to have a good living over there?

Ebinpawa was coined in Lagos by the extremely impoverished citizens

Didijiji:
Ebinpawa was coined in Lagos by the extremely impoverished citizens

And it was captured on social media and went viral.....


But the extremely impoverished Igbo women and children crying in the village are not heard of.. because Yorubas don't understand igno language and they don't care to learn because they don't even want to associate with the activities of Igbos.

But ibos learn Yorubas and Interact with them with their language and care about how they're impoverished... Even more than their fellow ibos at home.

If adequate attention is not paid to the needs of the youths in Africa, it would be very,very ugly for all of us - Obasanjo warns.

JASONjnr:
And it was captured on social media and went viral.....


But the extremely impoverished Igbo women and children crying in the village are not heard of.. because Yorubas don't understand igno language and they don't care to learn because they don't even want to associate with the activities of Igbos.

But ibos learn Yorubas and Interact with them with their language and care about how they're impoverished... Even more than their fellow ibos at home.

How many suicide cases have you seen in Ibo land? BUt wait... how can there be a worse president after Buhari?

I'm spearheading this Protest

Didijiji:
How many suicide cases have you seen in Ibo land? BUt wait... how can there be a worse president after Buhari?

There are countless suicides and drug peddling and other dubious crimes in the east..... But you easterners are so focused in the affairs of Lagos that you don't even know what's happening in your house.

Take for instance.... If Lagos state now have a terrorist group ensuring that there's no business activities every Monday in Lagos.... The entire world will be called to put an end to it.

You ibos complain that Kano state is deriving from the taxes generated from the brewery... But nobody is complaining of the money you ceased to generate every Monday... because of your sit at home.

Simple & short!

d more u threaten d hungry & angry masses, d angrier & agitated dey are becoming!

Since dis week in south south here, more ppl are calling into radio programs swearing to partake in d peaceful protest, so it has gradually become most southerners decision now, not only d Northerners!

Who wants to stay indoors & be killed by hunger like a coward?
is it not better u come out wit ur full chest & die wit dignity than bn killed like fowl in ur house wit ordinary hunger?


Bring fuel back to #165 pls!
Scrap senate!
All legislators shld earn same minimum wage as Labour, scrap their allowances!
Thoroughly investigate & audit NNPC and their ogas!

Emilokan can rule forever or buy d whole private jets he so desires, no qualms!

Asking people not to protest, it's like asking them to die in silence

99.999999% humans can take what they dish out.

“But threats do not work. In fact, on some occasions, the desperation of the government also has a way of popularising such protests.”

He also noted that state governors should hold talks with residents and make them aware of their plans to ameliorate the hardship ravaging the country.

The legal practitioner stated, “So, this time around the government should try to identify the leaders of the movement and then engage them, and then the questions be raised. There are demands that are being made, and the government should address these demands.

“Between now and August 1 is still a long way and I understand the government is going to address the nation. It is also important for governors to come out and let the people know what they are doing to address hardship in the country which nobody is denying.”

As usual, not even one of the administrators will act this way or even pay heed. Just BAU for them. The last country in Africa to go through a mess right now is Nigeria, else Africa will tumble over.

Sad

Kudos to Femi Falana.😌

A Man of TRUE Integrity.

Not like Wole Soyinka and Enoch Adeboye who Barraged Jonathan with Criticisms
but support this Useless APC govt which is Far Worse.

Shameless liars and bloody nauseating hypocrites!

press9jatv:
No going back on the August 1st protest 🪧 nationwide. Petroleum is now #800 per litre. In some part, it’s #850 per litre. Enough of oppression in the land.

Ok, you can start from ur family house sogbo.

Na who don chop dey protest ooooo

Falana should shvt up

Protest is worthless 😔

JASONjnr:
Falana should tell ibos to go to the east to protest.... Let everyone go back to their states of origin to protest.....

Let everyone go back to their state of origin to cry for bad governance.

Lagos is not Nigeria.

If the day come, enter street stop the protesters. Nonsense human being

press9jatv:
If adequate attention is not paid to the needs of the youths in Africa, it would be very,very ugly for all of us - Obasanjo warns.

Remind me of how the OBJ you quoted helped the youth as a president for 8 years

They will just say shit that they didn't do while in government and u all will see them as a Messiah cus you hate the current administration.