Hardship: NigerDelta Youths Vow To Protest, Occupy East-West Road

Niger Delta youths under the umbrella of Revamp Niger Delta Now Movement, RNDNM, have vowed to continue the August 1-10 protest, insisting that the various calls by politicians and traditional rulers to shun the organised national #EndbadGovernance protest in Nigeria has greeted their ears with deafness.

This came as the 21st Century Youths of Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience (21st CYNDAC) has called on the youths and entire people of the South-South, South-East, and South-West regions to shun the #EndBadGovernance protest because it allegedly has political undertone.

Also, the Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom, King Obukowho Whiskey, Udurhie 1, has asked President Bola Tinubu to address concerns raised by the youths, just as he pleaded that the planned protest be shelved.

RNDNM in a statement in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, weekend by the Convener, Ebideke Atuwo and Contact Manager, Doubra Sien, said the protest would be observed peacefully in Bayelsa State by the group, adding that they have fully mobilised a crowd, which would demonstrate peacefully to vent their anger over the current hardship experienced in country.

The In statement read: “The various calls by politicians and traditional rulers to shun the organised national #EndbadGovernance protest in Nigeria has greeted our ears with deafness.

“We wish to draw the attention of the public that the protest will be observed in Bayelsa State and fully mobilised by our group with crowd, which would demonstrate peacefully to vent their anger over the current hardship experienced in our beloved country.

“We have already begun the process and preparations are in top gear to occupy the East West Road and make it our temporal homes from August 1 to 10, 2024, until our demands are met.

“This is not about one group or another. It is about angry and hungry Nigerians, who are tired of the failed government policies. Protest is our right as enshrined in section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution (as amended). Nobody can take it away from us

“We have already submitted our protest letter to the Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa State and relevant authorities to avail us with the needed support for our peaceful protest.

Coordinator of the advocacy group, Izon Ebi, said, in a statement, yesterday: “The 21st CYNDAC has been a strong critic of the government in the past 15 years, and we say that this protest is politically motivated to set our nation ablaze.

“It is another democratic coup against the South-South by the so-called acclaimed owners of Nigeria, who feel it is their birth right to rule.

“We, therefore, use this opportunity to call on President Bola Tinubu to address the nation and call his appointees to order.

“We are forced to ask why they did not organise such protests during the last administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, when killings and looting of the treasury were the order of the day.

“We are miffed with the sudden gang up to incite Nigerians against a president the last administration trapped to fail with its actions before handover.

“We witnessed the inability of Nigerians to withdraw money from their accounts and nobody said anything about protest.

“The current situation in our country affects everyone devoid of political, religious, and tribal affiliations. We, therefore, plead with the sponsors of the planned protest to give the government more time at least to the end of the year.”

The monarch, who is in USA for a summit in a message, pleaded for understanding among all.

According to him, “I am deeply worried that a mass protest at this critical time will not do our dear nation any good. Rather, it can lead to further national disorder.

“The hunger in the land and growing insecurity across regions should bother us all, and constructively looking inward will be a better option than resorting to wild protests.

“As a traditional ruler in this country, I know it is a constitutional right of every Nigerian, as enshrined in our constitution, to protest. I also know there is hunger, insecurity, and unemployment. But as a veteran journalist and media manager with over three decades of experience, the signals out there clearly indicate that another nationwide protest will plunge this nation into more economic mess and insecurity.

“As your father, I earnestly appeal to you all to shelve the planned protest in the interest of our nation.

“I call on our President, Tinubu to address the concerns raised by our youths. I plead with Mr. President and Nigerians to address the core issues of hunger and the deep disconnect that exists between ordinary Nigerians and the ruling class.

“We cannot afford another #ENDSARS unrest now, considering the current state of our nation. Our collective decision to work for sustainable peace by addressing growing insecurities should be our top national discourse.