From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Former President of Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Legborsi Pyagbara, has called on President Bola Tinubu to address the demands of aggrieved Nigerian citizens.
Pyagbara made the call during a joint press briefing by Ogoni Democracy and Development Forum (ODDF) and African Indigenous Foundation for Energy and Sustainable Development (AIFES) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
He stated that peaceful protest is used to draw the attention of every government in power to bad governance, adding that Nigeria’s case should not be exceptional.
The former MOSOP boss who is currently the Executive Director of ODDF, stressed that the suffering in the country occasioned by economic hardship was “becoming sustainable.”
Pyagbara declared: “Never in the history of our dear country have we witnessed the type of suffering that the Nigeria masses have had to contend with in the last 12 months.
“Never has hopelessness and disbelief in our nation been so poignant than what we have seen now. Hope is the renewable energy that keeps one to believe in a future that will be bright. Once that hope is lost, the person is lost.”
Pyagbara emphasised: “We demand that the government should work to reduce the cost of food and end hunger in the land; reduce the price of petroleum products; end the growing insecurity in the country.”
Also, he said government should “reduce the cost of governance by reducing the number of political office holders, number of utilities and facilities and embark on electoral reforms.
“We demand that government should carry out judicial reform because of the judiciary is no longer the last hope of the common man; complete the East-West road; stop the forceful attempt to return to oil resumption without discussion with the Ogoni people and return Nigeria to regionalism.”
Pyagbara stressed: “The only way citizens can draw attention to their sufferings is to embark on peaceful protest. Protest is a legitimate right of citizens protected by international human rights instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended), among others.
“Peaceful protests allow citizens to publicly voice their concerns, challenge injustices, and participate actively in the democratic process. Peaceful protest is the cornerstone of democratic governance and a vital tool for holding leaders accountable.
“We call on the government of Nigeria and its security agencies to uphold the rights of citizens to embark on this civic responsibility. Law enforcement agencies should ensure protesters are protected and maintain public order without resorting to force.
“We also call on the protesters to carry out their protests peacefully. We urge all protesters to conduct themselves responsibly and avoid actions that could incite violence or disrupt public order.”