Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, has welcomed the planned statewide rallies against hunger and severe suffering in the country, which are set to begin on August 1.
In a statement, Atiku lambasted President Bola Tinubu’s government for attempting to subdue demonstrators, calling it a futile effort.
He stated that Nigerians, especially Tinubu supporters and the governing APC, are suffering from hunger, rage, and hopelessness as a result of the government’s inefficiency and cluelessness.
Atiku cautioned that any attempt to restrict these rights is not only unlawful, but also an insult to democracy.
Atiku’s statement reads:
“For the avoidance of doubt, the rights of citizens to protest are ENSHRINED in the Nigerian Constitution and AFFIRMED by our courts. Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as altered) unequivocally guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and association.
“Chasing shadows and contriving purported persons behind the planned protests is an exercise in futility when it is obvious that Nigerians, including supporters of Tinubu and the ruling APC, are caught up in the hunger, anger, and hopelessness brought about by the incompetence and cluelessness of this government.
“It is deeply ironic that those who now seek to stifle these rights were themselves leading protests in 2012. A responsible government must ensure a SAFE and SECURE environment for citizens to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed rights to PEACEFUL PROTEST. Any attempt to suppress these rights is not only unconstitutional but a direct affront to our democracy.”
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cc: Daily Post Ng
