Organisers of the #EndBadGovernance campaign has declared October 1, 2024, a ‘National Day of Survival’, to protest the incessant economic hardship faced by Nigerians.
Addressing newsmen in Lagos at the International Press Centre on Thursday, Hassan Soweto, one of the organisers and national coordinator of the Education Rights Campaign, urged Nigerians to participate in the nationwide peaceful protests.
In Lagos, the protest is scheduled to commence at Ikeja under the bridge at 7:30 am.
They stated that the protest would address the hike in fuel prices, rising food costs, and the impact of inflation on the livelihoods of ordinary Nigerians.
Other civil organisations involved include the Movement for Fundamental Change, Youth Rights Campaign, Joint Action Front, and Pan-African Consciousness Renaissance.
The #EndBadGovernance was initially held between August 1 and 10, 2024, to agitate for a good life for Nigerians.
However, on Thursday, they berated the inability of the federal government to take action on their demands in August and criticised them for “exacerbating poverty and hardship”.
They said, “We invite you on another journey to redeem our nation as we continue to stand against the anti-poor policies of this regime.
“As is obvious to everyone, none of the demands of our ten days of rage in August has been met.
“Rather, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu simply went ahead to use our national treasury to procure luxury cars, aircraft, and other luxuries for himself and the first family without caring a hoot about the plea of hungry Nigerians.
“To show the absolute disdain that the Federal Government holds for the people, Tinubu has gone ahead to now unleash on the Nigerian another round of hike in fuel price earlier this month.
The organisers stated that this year’s Independence Day, traditionally marked with celebrations, holds no relevance due to the current economic conditions.
“Rather than celebrate, October 1st should be a day to fight for the survival of democratic rights and the dignity of the Nigerian people,” they said while demanding reversal of the fuel price hike, reducing food prices, addressing insecurity, and implementing a N70,000 minimum wage across all sectors and prosecution of corrupt politicians and massive investment in public infrastructure to create jobs.
They described the hike in fuel price which currently hovers between N900 per litre to N1900 per litre as “outrageous, intolerable. As a direct consequence of this increment, life has become unbearable for many Nigerian people.”
They noted that inflation has rendered the N70,000 new national minimum wage irrelevant and incapable of bringing any relief to Nigerian workers.
“At the same time, the sharp rise in the cost of imported goods has rendered traders and shopkeepers redundant as shops are overflowing with goods that no one is ready to buy.
“The situation has also affected businesses and industries. Nothing less than ten multinational firms have left the shores of Nigeria between May last year, leading to even more job losses.
“Based on the foregoing, we of the #EndBadGovernance Movement has decided to declare October 1st, 2024, as ‘National Day of Survival’,” they said.
The protest organisers also demanded for the unconditional release of Adaramoye Michael Lenin, Mosiu Sodiq, Daniel Akande, and all #EndBadGovernance protesters, activists, journalists, and whistleblowers.
“On this day, we call on the Nigerian people, workers, students, youth, the unemployed, traders, and the poor to come out in peaceful protest and demonstrations against the excruciating condition of hardship, poverty, and hunger imposed on us by President Tinubu’s decision to implement IMF/World Bank-inspired anti-poor capitalist policies of fuel price hike, electricity tariff hike, school fees hike, and naira devaluation.
“We also call on the Nigerian people to utilize this day to demand with one voice the immediate and unconditional release of all #EndSARS and #EndBadGovernance protesters in police and prison custody, as well as freedom for detained journalists, whistleblowers, activists, and all victims of state repression.”
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