Atiku Accuses 2012 Protest Leaders of Suppressing People’s Rights
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government and security agencies for trying to disrupt the nationwide protests planned for August 1.
According to Vanguard, these protests aim to address issues like poor governance, economic struggles, and other problems.
On his verified Facebook page, Atiku, the 2023 presidential candidate from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), noted that even supporters of President Bola Tinubu and the ruling APC are feeling the effects of the current hardships.
He questioned why President Tinubu and some figures who protested against Goodluck Jonathan’s government in 2012 are now trying to stop these new protests.
Atiku emphasized that Nigerians have a constitutional right to protest peacefully, as guaranteed by Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution.
He argued that trying to block these protests is pointless because many people, including those who support Tinubu and the APC, are suffering due to the government’s failures.
He pointed out the irony of those now trying to suppress protests having once led them.
He stressed that a responsible government should ensure a safe environment for citizens to exercise their rights to peaceful protest, and any attempt to prevent this is both unconstitutional and a threat to democracy.
