A nationwide coalition of civil society groups, led by the Nigeria National Summit Group (NNSG), yesterday embarked on peaceful protests to Foreign Embassies and High Commissions in the country to seek their interventions in urging the federal government to restructure the country and obey the rule of law.
Speaking to newsmen on the protest, which shut down parts of Lagos metropolis, the NNSG Executive Secretary, Mr Tony I. Uranta, said that for President Buhari and the National Assembly to save Nigeria from anarchy and failure, it is time for the Federal Government of Nigeria to sincerely study the 2014 National Conference Report with a view to urgently implementing many of the Resolutions that were passed by all 482 Delegates to the Conference.
“A lot of work went into that Report from seasoned Nigerians representing all works of life, and States of Nigeria. We cannot sit and watch this nation crumble when we have a workable solution that would settle every demand as well as set the nation on the part of greater development” Uranta said.
Uranta who was a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee that planned the conference, noted that the Report crystallized feasible solutions to Nigeria’s survival as a nation.
The protesters, who were in their hundreds and kicked of their march from Allen Avenue, Ikeja, chanting songs and peacefully marching to the United States Embassy at the Walter Carrington Avenue, Victoria Island, also displayed protest placards with different demands like “Stop Trials by Media”, Obey Court Order”, Respect Rule of Law” Stop Fulani Herdsmmen”, “Implement National Conference Report”, “Restructure Nigeria Now”, among others.
Notable among the foreign missions that granted the protesters audience were those of Italy, Germany and the United States of America. At the United States Consulate, for example, the protesters, were received by two US embassy officials, namely, Jessica Newl and Tim Doren who were given petition letters for onward transmission to the US President, through the US Ambassador in Nigeria.
Speaking at the US embassy, NNSG’s Head of Research and Strategy, Mr. Efiye Bribena, said the peaceful protest was embarked upon to call the attention of the international community to the fact that Nigeria is tethering at the brink and the world is standing by, just as it did during the build-ups to the tragic genocides of Rwanda and Bosnia.
“The present government as a result of its actions is putting the country in a situation where you have crisis all over. As we speak, there is a serious deficit in governance and the international community is nonchalantly looking on, even as innocent civilians are being detained without recourse to the rule of law, whilst hundreds are being extrajudicially tortured and murdered. Restructuring is the only solution we can use to right the wrongs. There is a lot of dissatisfaction among the different ethnic groups and regions and we are saying that the National Conference report of 2014 should be implemented.”
On his part, National Secretary, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Ahmed Tijani Suleiman, said “We are calling for the restructuring of Nigeria because that is the only thing that will set us right. We think the last Confab report will provide ample guidance for the restructuring.”
On the motive behind the protest, Convener of the Constitutional Rights Advocacy Initiative, CRAI, Barrister Ikechukwu Ikeji, said, “This is a peaceful protest to ask for the intervention of international embassies and High Commissions to help prevail on the present federal government to do for us two major things; first, to restructure Nigeria, giving us a true fiscal federalism and not this kind of unitary system we are practicing. Secondly, is for the president to learn to obey and follow rule of law.”
In her address, the Secretary General, Youths Arise for Change, Mrs Vera Okei-Shomefun, averred that, “Our differences as a nation need to be addressed. As we speak, the federal government is not doing anything about the incessant atrocities of Fulani herdsmen attacks. We are here to demand that the president should seriously consider implementing the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference report.”
For Ayodele Akele of the Joint Action Front, the demand for self determination is legitimate within the African Charter of Peoples right, adding that, “every ethnic group has the right to determine whether they stay in a nation, and, I want to advice the president that the language of democracy is dialogue, not force.”
Also speaking, Mr. Fiyebo Epereiti, an Niger Delta youth leader, raised the alarm at the proliferation of militia groups in the country, stressing that restructuring of the country through the report of the national conference will reduce violent engagements across the nation.
.“We want dialogue, especially on the issue of Niger Delta, which is the backbone of the country. We want accountability and the youths must be carried along in affairs of governance,” he said.