Protest

Another nationwide protest pressing for an end to the rising hardship under President Bola Tinubu’s government has been announced for October 1.

The anticipated protests are dubbed #FearlessInOctober.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Take-It-Back Movement, a pro-democracy group, has called on citizens to unite and fight against the economic oppression and corruption which the group said is symbolized by Tinubu’s policies.

The movement described Tinubu’s administration as a symbol of hardship and corruption, criticizing the skyrocketing cost of living in Nigeria.

The statement read: “Nigerians, brace yourselves: General Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a symbol of hardship and corruption, has taken the helm. Mark your calendars for October 1 and join the #FearlessInOctober #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria2.0 protest to fight for our nation’s future and end the oppressive rule.”

The protest comes as Nigerians struggle with unprecedented fuel price hikes following the removal of petrol subsidies in May 2023.

Petrol prices have more than tripled, worsening the economic challenges faced by citizens who rely heavily on fuel for transportation and electricity generation.

Recall that Nigerians between 1 August to 10 August 2024, took to the streets in protest of the rising cost of living in the country.

A group of protesters besieged the Presidential Villa and the National Assembly in Abuja with placards to express their dissatisfaction over the dissolution of five Kano emirates by Governor Abba Yusuf’s administration on Thursday, May 23.

The aggrieved Nigerians urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the Kano emirates’ crisis to avert a breakdown of law and order in the state.

Some of their placards read, “Governor Abba Yusuf has desecrated the revered Northern Traditional Institution for Political vendetta and to settle old scores with perceived Political Adversaries,” “Kano is Boiling,” “Kwankwaso using his puppet (Abba) to foment Political Crisis in Kano State, President Tinubu must intervene,” “Abba focus on governance,” and “Don’t destroy Kano State.”

The protesters, under the aegis of Northern Nigeria Peace and Development Foundation, marched to the Presidential Villa and the National Assembly where they expressed concerns about what they described as an escalating situation in Kano State.

The protesters said that Governor Yusuf has taken what they described as abuse of office to another level by dissolving the traditional councils.

Coordinator of the protest, Abdullahi Muhammed Saleh, said, “A lot had been going wrong in the state but the Concerned Patriots of Nigeria had thought it best to allow Kano state to sort out its thorny issues.

He continued: “However, Thursday’s brash actions of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, who sacked five emirs to reappoint Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi as the 14th Emir of Kano has awoken us to the urgency of raising the alarm about the destructive excesses of the state governor.

“Since being sworn into office, Governor Abba Yusuf has had a string of loutish acts that run like a hardened criminal’s rap sheet.

“All in the name of rubbishing his predecessor, he started with a demolition spree that has served to impoverish the people whose lives he took an oath to improve. Thus he proved himself to be anti-people.

“The governor then attempted to destroy the structures of political parties in the state. The impish fanaticism with which he pursued this illicit mission saw him intruding into the structure of other political parties, including hiring some charlatans who purportedly suspended the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, who is interestingly his predecessor. Thus he proved himself to be anti-democratic.

“This latest stunt of sacking five emirs to install his acolyte was achieved by manipulating the Kano State House of Assembly, which he had successfully turned into a rubber stamp for endorsing his illegal acts.

“He has eroded the autonomy guaranteed by the separation of powers as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

“It is inconceivable that any right-thinking person will descend low to the point of manipulating the traditional institution for political gimmicks.”

“We believe that President Tinubu’s intervention is crucial at this critical moment. We are counting on his leadership to find a lasting solution to the crisis and ensure peace returns to Kano State,” he added.