A Coalition of twelve human rights advocacy groups under the aegis of CSOs Strategists has urged the organizers of the August #Hunger Protest to embrace the ‘Open Circuit Democratic Dialogue’ initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The group described PBAT’s initiative for dialogue, as an open-ended opportunity offered the protesting Nigerian youths to amicably address all of their demands and broker a lasting truce.
In a statement jointly issued by the CSOs STRATEGISTS Convener Comrade Balogun Hameed and other eleven civil society organizations the co-conveners of the Coalition on Monday, described the dialogue table as a national patriotic call and the best way to holistically resolve the basis for the protest.
According to the coalition, “Mr. President’s national broadcast on the #Hunger protest which kicked off as announced on Thursday, 1st. August, 2024 was a rare, passionate appeal for Nigerian youths and Organizers of the Protest to embrace, ‘ Open Circuit Democratic Dialogue”.
“This initiative is a vital ingredient of constitutional, democratic governance, we urge the protesters to maximize the utilization of this window to move the nation forward.
“We call on Organizers and Protesters to embrace the Olive Branch offered by the Presidency.
“The Dialogue Table is not just a National Patriotic duty, but, best opportunity for all demands to be amicably addressed and consensus agreements brokered.
“We have no other country but Nigeria. Let us build a salvation front, a national alliance against socio-economic sabotage for our great country to move forward.”
The CSOs Strategists noted that the President’s itemization of various reforms, social interventions and policy reinvention under his watch in the Fourteen (14) months of his administration is unprecedented.
“We dare challenge that no other Presidency in recent history of our great country has achieved so much within so little a time.”
The Coalition corroborated PBAT’s counsel to the youths to embrace dialogue, noting that he had already acknowledged the hardships and challenges induced by his bold economic reforms, adding that if given more time the dividends will soon be beneficial to every Nigerian citizen, who are experiencing these plights at the moment.
“The President’s appeal to shelf further protests in order not to collapse our ailing economy however, seems not to go down well with some Fifth Columnists who have infiltrated the movement.
“In this regard, we join all other well-meaning Nigerians to condemn the outbreak of violence in some protest centres in Kano, Kaduna and Nasarawa.
“Both the wanton destruction of public and private properties by Protesters as well as Police brutality, maiming and killing Protesters.
“Further bloodshed and destruction can be averted if all parties embrace opportunities for dialogue.”
The CSOs Strategists observed that those promoting the protest have inordinate ambition to sabotage the Tinubu led administration, with the clear intention of stalling his bold reforms of the oil and gas sector through the removal of fuel subsidy.
“Our readings of some of the leading promoters of the protests glaringly exposed inordinate, partisan ambition – driven intents.
“Opposition leaders, economy saboteurs, Oil cabals, etc are all sour losers in oil subsidy removal as the channel as block them from milking and sucking our collective heritage.
“We note with dismay, the international espionage dimensions as those who are seeking Nigeria to become a ” Failed State” have obviously shown their imprimatur in the protest.”
The Coalition also cited treasonable move for Russia take over of Nigeria as a reprehensible call influenced by some element’s hell bent on subverting the nation’s national sovereignty.
“The clarion call for Russia to take over the country is tragic, nauseating and reprehensible.
“It follows well known scripts that has succeeded in some West African States, where, protests and revolts are provoked to lay the basis for military intervention and subsequent alignment with Russia.
“We condemned in unmistakable terms the attempts by Russian and other global espionage to meddle in our internal affairs and subvert our national sovereignty.
“We call on all patriotic Nigerians to join hands in defending our efforts at nationhood building.”