Hunger Protest: Dialogue with protest organisers, review your policies, Isoko youths urge Tinubu

In a bid to avert the proposed nationwide protest slated for August 1 to August 19 as a result of hunger  and hardships in Nigeria, the Isoko National Youth Assembly(INYA)  Worldwide today, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently dialogue with the protest organisers as well as review some of his administration's policies that caused hardship on the people.

In a press statement signed by the 
INYA President, Comrade Eniwake Orogun and made available to newsmen on Saturday said, there is hardship in the land, which according to the statement, is occasioned by hasty Government's policies.

The Isoko Youth body, in the statement, also appealed to the youths to avoid violent protests  which may lead to the destruction of governments' assets at all levels just as they appealed to security agencies to treat protesters in a civil manner should it happen due to the  failure on the part of the Federal Government to successfully  dialogue with proponents of the protest to shelve it. 

Part of the statement reads: 8 "Today, we are at the edge as a nation, with all aspects of existence greatly troubled, from economy, security, socio-political and corporate existence coming under some form of distress and perplexity. 

"It is said that light exists at the end of the tunnel but this particular tunnel seems too long that not even a flicker of light is in sight. 

"It will be foolhardy to try to deny or explain the hardship which pervades the land, exacerbated by policies such as fuel subsidy removal, which many believe has produced the unintended outcome, or should we say, the exact intended outcome associated with wrong timing or hasty policy implementation, favorable only to some fifth columnists? 

"Many are hungry, weak and beggarly. The hardship is palpable and succour seems far. The proposed protest is only a natural response which is the least the vast majority of those who live below the baseline can do at this material time. 

"Regardless of the foregoing, this  protest can be avoided. We call on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to act as a matter of urgency by doing the following: 

"Constructive engagement of critical stakeholders with a genuine view to providing short, medium and long term solutions to the myriad of problems facing the people.

"Reevaluate its priorities and address head-on issues such as inflation, insecurity and high cost of governance.

"Reconsider policies such as fuel subsidy removal, floating of the naira and liberalization of our economy which has never worked in Nigeria or any part of Africa and have proven to be very injurious to individuals, families, and businesses. 

"Our leaders must learn from the 2011 Arab Spring and the recent not too good experience of the Endsars protest which took place in Nigeria that is yet to be fully recovered from and this protest is in the best  interest of the nation. 

"To our dear youths and fellow Comrades, we stand by you at this trying times.  If the protest must hold, let us be reminded that though our right to a peaceful protest is inalienable and guaranteed by our constitution, we do not have the right to be destructive and violent. No one benefits from the destruction of national assets, if there is any gain from such(destruction) is the  increment of the suffering of Nigerians, which, will not be tolerated.

"To our gallant security personnel, we implore you not to fall to the temptation of responding with brute force to our people, should the protest hold. 

"Understand that people are hungry and angry and the least expected of you is the performance of your constitutional responsibility of the  protection of lives and property. 

"This  is a trying period in our history as a people and together, we shall overcome.",  the statement concluded.