To address the alarming trend of activities in the country, some Non Governmental Organisations “Owojori Network Consult and “Young Alliance for Good Governance in Africa,YAGA, have appealed to the federal government to create a platform for dialogue with the protesters.
They made the plea at a news conference in Abuja.
Speaking on the protest, the Country Director of Owojori Network Consult, Alhaji Lawal Bayero lamented that the unfortunate incident called for constructive dialogue with the government as it is currently affecting the country’s economy.
Alhaji Bayero added that the government should demonstrate commitment to reforms, accountability, and citizen engagement and social integration.
“We gather today to address the alarming trend of activities across the country, where young Nigerians have thronged into the streets to protest against hunger in the land and bad governance”.
He described the protest as worrisome hence the need for dialogue to stop violence across the country.
“The unfortunate incident is getting more and more troubling hence our patriotic call, urging all parties to cease hostilities and engage in constructive dialogue with the government”, Alhaji Bayero emphasized.
The Director of the Owojori Network Consult also called for constructive engagement with media influencers and celebrities as a mediating voice between the government and the people.
Alhaji Bayero further recommended for the promotion of the hashtag #EmbraceDialogue across all social platforms to serve as solidarity campaign to calm down tension in the country.
Earlier, the Country Director of the Young Alliance for Good Governance in Africa,YAGA, Mr. Gabriel Ashibi said the essence of their intervention was to build a bridge between the government and the people, hence the need for media influencers to make the deliberations fruitful.
“What we are doing now is to see that we are going to stand as a bridge for both the government and protesters to address this unrest situation in the country” Mr. Ashibi added.
On his part, the Founder, Dan Afric Advocacy, Edwin Onwe Wisdom called on Nigerians to give room for negotiation, adding that it is in the process of peaceful negotiation that most of the issues raised can be resolved.
“The president addressed the nation, so both those that are directly or indirectly engaging in the protest should embrace peace and end the protest. All we are saying is that we should give room for negotiation, because it is on the table of negotiation that we can come together into a term either to remove subsidy or continue with it” he noted.
“Subsidy removal is one of the demands of the protesters, even if only that is dealt with, other issues might also necessitate that Nigerian youths will go to the streets for protest or any other thing”, Wisdom stressed.
