As the planned nationwide protest tagged #EndBadGovernance begins August
1, 2024, the Not Too Young To Perform (NTYTP), a leading advocacy group
for younger leaders in Nigeria, has urged citizens to conduct themselves
peacefully and avoid any form of violence or arson attacks.
In a statement jointly signed by the group’s President/Executive
Coordinator, Comrade James Ezema, and its National Publicity Secretary,
Comrade Mikail Audu, the NTYTP reminded protesters that the primary
objective of the exercise is to express displeasure over certain
government policies and demand positive change.
The group appealed to all protesters to ensure that no government or
private properties are touched, no matter the level of provocation. “We
must demonstrate maturity and responsibility, even in the face of
adversity,” the statement read.
Furthermore, the NTYTP called on all security agencies to provide
adequate protection for the protesters and deal decisively with hired
thugs wanting to disrupt the protest. “It is the responsibility of the
security agencies to ensure a safe and secure environment for citizens
to express their grievances,” the statement added.
The group said it believes that the #EndBadGovernance protest is a
legitimate and necessary exercise in a democratic society like Nigeria.
“We must, however, conduct ourselves in a manner that earns us respect
and admiration from the international community,” the statement
concluded.
The group reinstated that the #EndBadGovernance or hunger protest, which
is scheduled to take place across the country, is merely an avenue for
aggrieved citizens to express their displeasure over various government
policies and demand positive change, not war.
The NTYTP warned thugs not to disrupt the anti-government protest,
saying that “pro-government citizens also have the constitutional rights
to hold rallies in favour of the current administration and none should
interfere with the peaceful activities of each other to ensure that
there is no breakdown of law and order.”
