APC Boss Urges Bayelsans To Shun Hardship Protest -Says it is an undemocratic ploy to overthrow Tinubu’s Govt
By Azi Aaron
As the proposed nationwide protest termed ‘End Bad Governance’ begins on Thursday, August 1, Chairman of the Bayelsa State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief (Dr) Dennis Otiotio has enjoined the people of the state to shun the protest.
Chief (Dr) Dennis Otiotio |
According to him the ultimate objective of the organizers of the protest was to undemocratically change the government, stating that they are posed to overthrow the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu according to security reports.
“We want to emphatically state that as a party, we are against the proposed nationwide protest. We against it, not because people don’t have right to protest. We are democrats. We are progressives. And the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a progressives and A democrat.
‘And so, we believe that everybody has a right to freedom of association. Everybody has right to express their grievances peacefully and lawfully. And on that we believe everybody has the right to protest.
But the right to protest ends when the other person’s rights begins. And so, we believe that people protesting must protest within the ambit of the law.
‘End SARS protest in 2020 and the recent protest in Kenya have shown that when protests are taken beyond the lawful means; beyond the legal means it becomes illegal. Because it escalates into violence and resulting in the destruction of lives and properties.
In this particular protest, we have been briefed by security agencies that the ultimate objective of the organizers of this protest is to undemocratically change Government. They are posed to overthrow the government of President Tinubu by undemocratic means.
And so, we as a ruling party, the party that canvassed vote, campaigned to secure this victory feels that we have to stand to protect the victory we have gotten.
That is why we are calling on all members of APC and Bayelsans to shun this planned protest. Because we believe that the organizers of the protest do not have good intentions. And they have refused to identify themselves. We don’t know who are organizing it.
But security report indicate that these are people who contested the 2023 presidential election and failed, and are now using this medium to truncate our democracy,” Chief Otiotio stated.
Chief Otiotio averred that the party has resolved from the wards, Local governments, and at the state levels to shun the protest because it is not in the interest of Nigerians and Bayelsans.
He disclosed that state chapters of the party are mobilizing its members to stage solidarity rallies across the nation to support the government and policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu beginning on Thursday August 1, and as long as the protest will last.
He acknowledged that the hardship facing Nigerians was real but expressed optimism that it would soon be a thing of the past based on the viable economic and food security policies and programmes President Tinubu has put in place to address these challenges to uplift the socio-economic wellbeing of the people when fully implemented.
According to him, President Tinubu has signed North West Development Bill into law as well as South East Development Commission, all geared towards enhancing the development of these regions among others.
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