#EndSARS:Hooligans Calling For Regime Change, Say Northern Governors

The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has expressed fear that “diabolical influencers in form of hooliganism, ethno-religious bigots and even political marauders” are bent on pulling the nation down and calling for regime change.

In a communique issued at the end of their emergency meeting in Kaduna on Thursday, the governors urged Nigerians to resist “enemies of the nation” by supporting the president. According to the communique signed by Simon Lalong, chairman of the forum and governor of Plateau state, the forum extensively discussed issues bordering on national security, particularly the nationwide #EndSARS protest which has led to the wanton destruction of lives and properties in some parts of the country.

“Concerned by these development, the NSGF met and deliberated on the matter,” the communique. “NSGF commiserates with those who lost their lives, the wounded and those whose properties were destroyed. “NSGF strongly sues for unity and peaceful co-existence of all citizens and groups of people in Nigeria and urge all Nigerians to see themselves as equal citizens of the country as the unity of Nigeria cannot be compromised.

“The NSGF regrets the diabolical influencers in form of hooliganism, ethno-religious bigots and even political marauders who are bent on pulling the nation down its knees and pushing for regime change. “The NSGF called on all Nigerians to resist these enemies of the nation by supporting Mr. President, the federal government and democracy at large.

“NSGF appeal to all citizens to restraint themselves from unwarranted disposition of sentiments, harassment and intimidation of other citizens resident in their home states. Forum notes that all these are antics of the enemies of the country who are violently pushing for regime change outside the ballot box.

“NSGF also notes the heavy presence of external influencers both locally and internationally and called on all citizens particularly community leaders and youth groups to be very vigilant and report the presence of such people to security agencies. The forum called for comprehensive and robust reforms in the police force.”

The Northern Governors also advocated for the constitution of judicial commission of enquiry to investigate all levels of destruction and killings during the #EndSARS protest. They also called “for greater synergy between the state and the federal government in strengthening the unity, oneness and overall development of the country.”

“The forum is in synergy with other governors in the South-West, South-South and South-East to address this challenges of nationhood headlong.”

Is this actually what Nigerians are saying?What's your take on this?

#EndSARS: Afenifere Alleges Grand Plot To Destroy Yoruba Race

 

Ado-Ekiti – Pan Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), has alleged that there is a grand plot by certain external forces to attack the Yoruba heritage. The Yoruba group lamented that the said forces were working in cahoots with some fifth columnists in the SouthWest to achieve their sinister motive. 

Prince Michael Ogungbemi, Publicity Secretary, of the group, in a statement made available to journalists also condemned the shooting of some peaceful protesters by soldiers in Lagos on Tuesday evening as callous, but insisted that shouldn’t be a reason for anyone to hide under this to destroy what Yoruba stands for.  

“The fifth columnists in Yoruba should beware. They shouldn’t allow themselves to be used to destroy their own for them to accomplish their devilish motives, which is to take over Lagos by force,” the statement said. Ogungbemi called for total restructuring of the country, saying this would help to correct all the perceived lopsidedness and bring the right structure that would resolve the myriad of crises bedeviling the nation.

“With restructuring, each state would have enough resources to give the youth viable employments that would stamp out crimes and stop the endless trends of being willing tools in the hands of destructive politicians.

The socio cultural and pressure group added that it condemned the killing of the EndSARS protesters in Lekki area of Lagos State.

‘The Wanton Killings, Destruction Must Stop; Those Planning to Destroy Yoruba will fail’, by ARG’s Publicity Secretary in Ekiti State, Prince Michael Ogungbemi, warned politicians to refrain from stoking the ember of crisis in Lagos. 

“This carnage and wanton destruction  must stop. Yoruba won’t fold  their arms and allow the destruction of their fatherland and inheritance. “Killing of defenceless protesters  was condemnable.  We won’t tolerate this nonsense.

“At this point, it is becoming obvious that the only weapon to stabilize our nation is restructuring. “We can’t run away from it, because, with the pervasive mistrust in the system, Nigeria is now sitting on a keg of gunpowder,” the statement said.

Is ARG right about this assertion? Let's know what you think to make Nigeria a better place. 

#EndSARS: When Peaceful Protest Becomes Destructive Movements

 

“Nonviolence is an intensely active force when properly understood and used.” – Mohandas Gandhi

Peaceful stances against all forms of injustices and bad governance have been successful throughout history and nonviolent movements can lead to a meaningful systemic change. Reflecting back on several landmark moments can act as a guide for action in these tumultuous times to change Nigeria for good as we all desire our country to be. Nigeria is a great country by all standards available to measure greatness of any country in the world. However, our problems have remained bad/selfish leadership, corruption and  fragile institutions. Good leadership will make the other too work perfectly.

Nigeria is equally endowed with abundant mineral resources in addition to her great human resources. The fact remains that with these abundances, Nigeria remains the capital city of poverty in the world but Nigerian politicians are one of the highest paid in the world. Conversely, Nigeria Minimum Wage is one of the worst in the world, yet the political class are unconcerned. The former CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi analysed the dangers of these bogus salaries and allowances thus: "Change should start with the National assembly: = A Senator receives N36,000,000 (thirty-six million Naira) monthly. If this is divided into two = N18,000,000 million (Eighteen million Naira). The second half which is N18,000,000 (eighteen million Naira) can be used to employ 200 Nigerians, each earning a salary of N90,000 (ninety thousand Naira) monthly. When you multiply 200 people with the number of Senators (109), this will give 21,800 Nigerians gainful employment. In short, 200 Nigerians will be able to live a comfortable life on half a Senator’s monthly salary.

A member of the House of Representatives receives a salary of N25,000,000 (tenty-five million Naira) monthly. If this salary is divided in two = N12,500,000 (twelve million and five hundred thousand Naira). The other half, which is the sum of N12,500,000 (twelve million and five hundred thousand Naira) will be enough to employ 135 Nigerians with a monthly salary of N92.500 (ninety-two thousand and five hundred Naira) each. Nigeria has 360 Members of the House of Representatives, half of their salaries can employ 48,600 Nigerians who can live comfortable lives.

So, President Buhari’s Administration can employ 70,400 Nigerians with monthly salaries ranging from N90,000 to N92.500 accordingly. This is just by dividing the salaries of Senators and Members of the House of Representatives. Half their present salaries is more than enough for them in a country where majority of Nigerians live on less than a dollar a day. (Now think of all the other over bloated salaries and allowances of Ministers and others)" Nigerians are the most tolerance human being on earth because of what they tolerate from their heartless leaders. 

The immediate human right violations by Nigeria Police outfit called SARS pushed Nigerians to the wall with #EndSARS peaceful movement. Nigerian government failed woefully in handling the protest with a vague solution. Nigerians can not believe in vague solution because of many bad precedencies. The fact remains that Nigerians have been pushed to the wall and they are more or less a bottled gunpowder ready to explode. A simple presidential address would have taken the peaceful protesters off the street. The address would have been explicit enough with points on how to implement the ban of SARS to SWAT.

Despite all these bad governance, maladministration, unemployment, poverty and the organisation of counter group to unleash mayhem on peaceful protesters in Abuja, violence is still not the best way to go about changes. It is very unfortunate that many lives have been lost, though perpetrators will surely be brought to book. Many police stations, NPA, BRTs, TVC Office, Hotels and personal properties have been burnt down. Yet our president see no reason to address the Nation!

These destructions will naturally retard our progress, because they have to be replaced and it will cost the country a huge amount considering the corruption that will be involved. How can the progressive youths become a clog in the wheel of development we have all been yearning for? Destruction of properties should stop everywhere in Nigeria especially in Lagos. Lagosians should not  allow some unscrupulous elements hijack the peaceful protest in pretense to destroy our National heritage.  

Orgarnisers of the peaceful #EndSARS are to take back the protest from the destructive elements that have infiltrated them. They should not give an unwilling and uncaring government rooms to justify deployment of Armed security agencies. Because when destructions becomes uncontrollable, no government will continue to watch. They should show the world they are educated, reasonable, capable and never loose public and international supports. 

The best way now is to stand together and stop further destruction of any properties anywhere in Nigeria and to maintain our fragile unity before tribal interpretations of the destructions by other tribes that hate Lagos or even Southwest in general. And you can't blame them for such interpretations because of the huge destruction in Lagos alone. One thing that is sure is that justice will be done to the killers of innocent and peaceful protesters, no matter how highly placed they are and their supporters. #EndSARS #Protesthijacked you have to #EndSARSProtestNow 

What's your take in giving peace a chance instead of destructive protest?

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ACF: Nigeria's Governance Standard Has Fallen and Stands With #EndSARS Protest

Northern’s apex group, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), yesterday, rose from its National Executive Council (NEC) in Kaduna with a declaration that the standard of governance in Nigeria has fallen.

A communiqué after the meeting made available to newsmen by Emmanuel Yawe, the National Publicity Secretary of ACF, said democracy gives people the “rights to hold and express views, to assemble and even to protest against perceived injustices provided they are done peacefully and do not injure the interests of other people.”

The Northern apex body, which stated that the #EndSARS protest was not wrong, called on government to give a timeline of implementations of the demands towards putting an end to the protest. This is as they also called for the reduction of public officers’ salaries in line with current realities.

According to ACF, “Thankfully, the #EndSARS protests that have raged across the country for over 10 days have been largely peaceful until now.

These protests that have persisted have continued to evolve and have become increasingly violent. “Innocent citizens caught in the cross fires have lost their lives. State governors and other political office holders have been attacked. Public highways and commercial facilities are being blocked, precipitating a dangerous lockdown of the country.

“This is happening not because the government did not respond to their many demands.

On the contrary, the Federal government has quickly and publicly agreed with the complaints of the protesters and has committed itself to carrying out far reaching reforms to address them.

“The ACF is the first to concede that the standard and quality of governance, especially with respect to policing, criminal justice system, management of law and order etc., have fallen and continues to fall in this country in recent years.

“Substantial part of the North is either under governed or totally ungoverned, giving rise to collapse in the economy and social settings of our rural community. Reforms of these and other critical areas are long overdue.

To that extent, the street protests by our sons and daughters demanding for the reforms cannot be wrong. “However, if all they sought to achieve was to draw the attention of the government to these issues, they have already done so successfully and most eminently.

“Therefore, their refusal to call off the protests even after the government has openly and repeatedly committed itself to implementing the needed reforms would seem to suggest that the protesters do not trust that the government will implement the promise made or that the protests aim to achieve objectives different from what they have so far declared.

“Having said that, the ACF appeals to the Federal Government with the strongest possible voice, not to let the opportunity presented by these events go, but to use them to carry out sincere and far-reaching reforms, especially in the areas our sons and daughters have identified.

“Government must engage critical stakeholders to fine-tune the agreement and have defined timelines for implementations. That way, we can hope to stem the current drift towards chaos. “Some of the areas that stand in dire need for urgent reforms should include, but not limited to the following: Security architecture, management of law and order; Outcome required is expansion in the quantity and quality of the armed forces and the police; tackling corruption and nepotism as being perpetrated by political office holders.

“Considering that vast majority of young people cannot find jobs, it’s going to be difficult to achieve good governance or even maintaining law and order in Nigeria. We recommend that a judicial commission of enquiry be set up to examine the nature and scale of the money politicians at all levels pay themselves. It is necessary to restore sanity in these matters by bringing their payments within acceptable limits taking into cognizance the economic reality of the country.

“The current Presidential system of government we are running is expensive; in view of our economic and infrastructural demands, the current system should be reviewed through referendum from the double chamber parliament to unicameral legislature, among others.

“Such concerns have led several African countries to streamline their legislatures to single chambers including in Senegal, Ghana, Niger, etc. “Growing the economy, creating jobs and reducing poverty: We require equity, fairness, transparency with full disclosure, in the Central Bank and other government interventions in several key areas.”

Nigerians must be united irrespective of their tribe or religion to move this country forward. Few individuals should not hold this great Nation to ransom for their selfish and wicked reasons. How will National Assembly budget be more than Education, Health and Works sectors altogether? What's your take on this? Feel free to comment and let's move this country forward together.

The Silent President of a Burning Nation

 

Nigeria is facing her worst moment apart from Nigeria Civil War. Even if there's a war, there's no justifiable excuse for a President to remain silent for 2 weeks while his country burns. Lives of many Nigerians have been lost because of the same unwarranted silence and properties running into trillion dollars had been destroyed. World leaders and lovers of peace far and near have been calling to calm nerves but our own president kept mute to address Nigerians.

What's happening in Nigeria today is as a result of bad governance from past regime and this regime. Nigeria has never being this polarized along tribal and religious sentiments ever. Why must a President be afraid to address the people he swore oath of office to protect? Who will now make President Buhari address Nigerians if Nigerian senate, president of other countries, well meaning individuals and friends of Nigeria have called on the president to address his country to calm nerves. These are the simple question Nigerians want answers to:

Are you happy that twenty-one senators are currently receiving pensions from government as ex-governors and deputy governors in Nigeria?

Are you happy that a bag of rice is now N35-40k?

Are you happy that all the security agencies are majorly headed by one section of Nigeria?

Are  you happy that no sector of Nigeria economy is working or can you tell me one? 

Are you happy with levels of corruption in Nigeria?

Are you happy with incessant killings, banditry and kidnapping in Nigeria?

Are you happy Nigerians make it quickly outside Nigeria while hardworking Nigerians languish in abject poverty in Nigeria?  

Are you happy with the way they are treating Nigerians outside the country because of the way our politicians treat us back home?

Are you happy with the way few opportunistic politicians are holding the Nigerians to ransom with bogus salaries and allowances more than any other politicians in the world?

Are you happy with the states of our roads despite abundance of bitumen deposits and quality stones everywhere in Nigeria?

Are you happy with the way this government is needlessly borrowing for everything despite the trillions being embezzled from NPA NNPC FRSC NCS CBN NIS.

Why does the poverty capital of the world have the highest paid politicians?

Are you happy that drivers license cost between 25k-40k?

Are you happy that N1500 cannot buy you 10 Litres of Fuel and N10k can no longer fill your Car fuel tank?

Are you not angry that every home in Nigeria depends on personal generating set for electricity?

Are you happy that small sachet tomato paste is now N100?

Are you happy, that the average Nigerian home now spend between N10k-N25k monthly on epileptic power supply?

Are you not worried that our minimum wage cannot buy a bag of rice or beans or any staple food?

Do you ever wonder how poor people survive in this nation?

Are you not mad at the insane number of extortion points called checkpoints all over our roads?

Are you not mad that Police, FRSC, Civil Defence, VIO, Customs, LASTMA, OCHA BRIGADE, Govt Sponsored Touts and Hooligans etc  are all on our roads and markets harassing and extorting innocent people in broad day light?

Are you not bitter that entrepreneurs spend all their profit and even capital on diesel and are frustrated out of business by different business permits, multiple taxes and insane levies?

Are you happy with the needless death of our Nigerian youths in the hands of security agencies especially NPF? 

Are you not sad that you're forced to bribe your way through life if you need anything done in this nation?

Are you ok with the fact that 90% of Nigerians are stuck with poorly equipped hospitals while our politicians travel around the globe for the best medical attention?

Have you ever ask yourself how over 70% of Nigerians survive on less than a dollar daily?

Do you ever wonder why over 60% of our graduates are jobless?

Do you ever wonder why most employed Nigerians are underemployed?

Are you not sad that honest hardworking people die broke in this nation while the shady ones thrive?

Nigeria is too rich to poor but our leaders squandered the opportunities and her citizens are languishing in abject poverty. The questions Nigerians want their president to answer are many but can the president answer them sincerely and truthfully? There are angers in the land because of bad governance and the political classes are fully aware. What must we do to progress as a nation? 

Obasanjo Speaks Again on #EndSARS Protests, Advises President Buhari on What to Do

 

This is the second time former President Olusegun Obasanjo will advise President Buhari over #EndSARS within a week. First was when he urged President Muhammadu Buhari to demonstrate his care for the youths by attending to their demands.

This statement was made by the former president while speaking at the palace of Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi in Osun state on Monday. While describing the #EndSARS protest as the product of an extensive agitation by the Nigerian youth, Obasanjo said the youths are clamouring for a better life.

The former President further stated that there are several ways the government can show it understands their plights by making things easier for them. “More than 65 percent of our population is under within the ages of 18 and 30; they are not only struggling to acquire education, they are also aspiring for the best that life can offer them,” Obasanjo said.

The ex-president who ruled the country from 1999 to 2007 stressed that some of the youths didn’t even get educated, while those who are educated are getting frustrated because of lack of opportunities. We must realize that the lid on the boiling steam would have to be removed.

“But, I believe that there are windows of opportunity which the government can explore to show that it cares about the people’s welfare, especially the youth, as the father of the country and particularly, as the father of the youth, he added.

“Fortunately, the president has children and he knows how youths behave. I believe that the opportunities can still be taken to let the youth know that he, as a father, understands their plight and that his government understands their plight and he is ready to make life better for them, Obasanjo concluded.

The second came after #lekkimassacre with a press conference when President Buhari left the whole country in darkness

Why would a sitting president keep mute when his country is burning for goodness sake?

Attacks on #EndSARS Protesters Taking International Dimensions

 

United States of America embassy in Nigeria has closed down their embassy in Lagos, Nigeria as a result of disruption of peaceful protests by Nigerians against extrajudicial killings and extortion by Nigeria Police SARS.

Also, the Democratic Presidential candidate in the upcoming United States election, Joe Biden, has called on the President of Nigeria, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); and the military to stop the violent crackdown on protesters which has led to several deaths.

The former American Vice-President said this in a statement titled, ‘Violence in Nigeria – Statement by Vice President Joe Biden’ on Wednesday.

Biden said the United States must stand with Nigerians who are peacefully demonstrating for police reform and seeking an end to corruption. The statement read, “I urge President Buhari and the Nigerian military to cease the violent crackdown on protesters in Nigeria, which has already resulted in several deaths. My heart goes out to all those who have lost a loved one in the violence.

“The United States must stand with Nigerians who are peacefully demonstrating for police reform and seeking an end to corruption in their democracy. I encourage the government to engage in a good-faith dialogue with civil society to address these long-standing grievances and work together for a more just and inclusive Nigeria.”

The United Kingdom Parliament has commenced deliberations on petitions seeking to sanction the federal government for human rights abuses over the End SARS protests.

United Kingdom citizens monitoring the situation are clamoring for sanctions on Nigeria government for its insensitivity to the yearnings of Nigerians. 

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the killing of unarmed protesters by Nigerian authorities. “The Secretary-General is following recent developments in Nigeria and calls for an end to reported police brutality and abuses,” Guterres’s spokesman Stephanie Dujarric said in a statement on Wednesday. “He condemns the violent escalation on 20 October in Lagos which resulted in multiple deaths and caused many injuries.

Also, many Nigerians are calling for the prosecution of people in power that are fueling the peaceful protest in Nigeria and sponsoring hoodlums to attack armless protesters. What's your take on this needless attack on peaceful #EndSARS protesters?