#EndBadGovernance: Ajadi, Onaiyekan, Falana, others call for release of detained protesters

Renowned businessman and stalwart of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Olufemi Ajadi, has added his voice to the growing chorus of prominent Nigerians and organizations, including the venerable Emeritus Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Transparency International (TI), and Arewa Youths, among others, who have been vociferously calling on the federal government to expedite the release of individuals still detained in connection with the #EndBadGovernance protests, which took place from August 1 to 10.

Ajadi’s impassioned plea came on the heels of widespread condemnation of the government’s handling of the protests, with many criticizing the authorities for infringing on the fundamental rights of the protesters.

Ajadi himself underscored the poignant fact that the president, having benefited from protests in the past, should not now seek to stifle the voices of others. He wondered aloud how someone who had risen to prominence through the free expression of ideas could now seek to muzzle the same freedom of expression in others.

Ajadi lamented that, since the inception of the current administration, the country’s fortunes had precipitously declined, leaving the populace with no recourse but to organize and express their discontent. He argued that the #EndBadGovernance protests were a testament to the people’s frustration with the government’s mismanagement of resources, citing the recent allocation of funds for a new presidential jet as a stark example of the government’s misplaced priorities.

Ajadi, who is also an entrepreneur, emphasized that he felt the impact of the government’s policies firsthand, both in his business and personal life. He called on the president to not only release those still detained but to also implement policies aimed at alleviating the suffering of the populace.

Ajadi said: “Who is in this country and does not know that things are challenging. It is not that the country itself is broke, it is simply a problem of mismanagement of resources.

“If the government could, despite all that is going on, think and budget on a new presidential jet as we are made to understand, why can’t it immediately rise to the occasion of mitigating the suffering of those it is constitutionally responsible for? That is part of the reason for the #EndBadGovernance protests.

“I also feel the impact of the bad policies of the government, being an entrepreneur. I have workers and I feel their pains.

“I am also into politics at different levels and you cannot pretend when you see obviously that the people around you are not finding things easy in the economy.

“It is for the above reason that I wholeheartedly reiterate my call on the president, not only to ensure an expedited release of those he is still holding, but come up with a programme and policy of ameliorating hunger and hardship in the country.

“This is the least we could ask and hope for in a country so blessed.”

Earlier, Archbishop John Onaiyekan had noted that the protesters, many of whom were still being held, were not the cause of Nigeria’s problems. He urged the president to take the initiative in addressing the grievances of the protesters, rather than resorting to clampdowns.

Prominent lawyer Femi Falana also weighed in, arguing that the government should either release or arraign the protesters without delay, ensuring that they receive adequate notice to prepare their defense.

Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Head of Transparency International (Nigeria), added that the detention of protesters could be a ploy to siphon public funds, alleging instances of individuals who were not involved in the protests being targeted, including patients in hospitals.

The Arewa Youth Assembly also called for the release of the protesters, arguing that the government’s failure to arraign them was indicative of a lack of evidence against them. They warned that indefinite detention could spark further protests.