Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Delegated Legislation, Mr. Femi Bamisile, has identified the diversion of Federal Government palliatives by state governments as a primary cause of youth anger and the planned nationwide protests.
Representing Ekiti South Federal Constituency II, Bamisile noted that democracy thrives on dialogue, warning that peaceful protests might be hijacked by malicious elements, as seen during the #EndSARS protests under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Bamisile advised those planning protests against the current hardships to engage in dialogue with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government.
Vanguard reports that in a statement to journalists in Ado Ekiti, he urged proponents of the proposed #EndBadGovernance protest to consider negotiation as a viable option.
Highlighting the benefits of dialogue over confrontation, the former Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly stressed, “It would be more rewarding and profitable for Nigerians, no matter how aggrieved, to embrace dialogue at this trying time, than adopting the option of protest, which could be confrontational and counterproductive.”
Bamisile attributed the current public anger to hardships like high fuel prices and soaring food costs, calling for collaborative efforts at national and subnational levels to alleviate these issues.
“Protest is an inalienable right of all Nigerians to agitate for any demand, provided it is peaceful and violence-free. But how sure are the proponents that this will be guaranteed, bearing in mind what happened during the #EndSARS protest that was hijacked by evil doers?” he questioned.
He recalled the immense losses during the #EndSARS protests, stating, “Lagos State lost over a trillion Naira in property due to the burning of national monuments. While the organizers might mean well, they must consider the political, ethnic, and religious complexities of our nation.”
“The country belongs to us all. There’s nothing wrong with a coalition calling for good governance. This will benefit everyone, but it must be done in the most civilized fashion, with dialogue as the best international practice.”
He noted the Federal Government’s ongoing distribution of 740 truckloads of rice to the 774 local governments, alongside other food palliatives.
Bamisile urged state governors to ensure these items reach the intended beneficiaries, as the failure of this policy has fueled public anger.
“These reported cases of diversion in some states are disheartening and not in anyone’s interest. Citizens should hold their state leaders accountable for such acts,” he concluded.
