The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has rejected the planned 10-day nationwide protests set to commence today, Thursday, August 1st.
The forum’s stance was conveyed through a statement by Prof. Tanko Muhammad-Baba, its National Publicity Secretary.
“The ACF has been closely monitoring the discourse surrounding the planned protests, which are being organised by unidentified groups,” he said.
“Information circulating on social media attributes the protests to dissatisfaction with the socioeconomic and political challenges resulting from policies implemented by President Bola Tinubu’s administration since 2023.
“While acknowledging the constitutional rights of Nigerians to express grievances and engage in protests, ACF highlights the dire existential challenges faced by the populace,” he said.
The ACF outlined several reasons for opposing the protests such as the lack of robust engagement with the representatives over accountability and governance, and incoherent and poorly articulated demands by the protest promoters.
He added that the protests do not directly address the North’s pressing issue of debilitating insecurity.
According to the don, a 10-day shutdown would be excessively long, counter-productive, and disruptive and there is the potential for protests to turn violent or be hijacked by criminals.
ACF also urged Nigerians to refrain from participating in the protests and called on the authorities at all levels to address public policy shortcomings to alleviate the severe conditions facing Nigerians.
(NAN)
