27th July, 2024
By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani Kayode has alleged that the nationwide protest being planned by some Nigerians is a covert and subterranean attempt to provoke the security forces to open mutiny and rebellion against constituted authority and thereby truncate the nation’s democracy.
“That is what this so-called #nationwidestrike that they have labelled as the #endbadgovernanceprotest is all about,” Fani-Kayode, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress said in a statement on Saturday
The former Minister said while there nothing wrong with a peaceful demonstration and a lawful legitimate protest, attempt by some people who, according to him, are on ‘the payroll of subversive elements to destabilise the country and incite people to violence and carnage’ is not acceptable.
He added that no government will allow such protests to happen while appealing to those behind it to repent.
The former Minister noted that the country cannot afford another EndSARS protest with the attendant violence, strife, division, damage to property and bloodshed that characterized it in 2020.
The statement partly reads: “What is unacceptable is a premeditated attempt by a group of faceless individuals who are on the payroll of subversive elements to destabilise the country and incite people to violence and carnage.
“Worse still there is a covert and subterranean attempt to provoke the security forces to open mutiny and rebellion against constituted authority and thereby truncate our democracy.
“Those that are behind it are attempting to take advantage of the undoubtedly enormous economic challenges in the land to create panic, fear, chaos and mass unrest with a view to provoking anarchy, mayhem and armed insurrection.
“This is unacceptable and no responsible Government will sit back and allow it to happen.
“I urge those that are behind this surreptitious, subterranean and sinister subterfuge to have a rethink and not spark off a reaction from the security forces that they will later regret.
“We do not want or need a nationwide #endsars-like round of protests and neither can we afford the attendant violence, strife, division, damage to property and bloodshed that comes with it.
“The way forward is to put off the protest, exercise patience, enter dialogue with the Federal Government and express our collective concerns in a lawful, restrained, responsible and legitimate manner.
“Anything outside of that will be dangerous and counter-productive”
