The diversion of Federal Government palliatives by state governments may be a significant factor driving youth anger and the planned nationwide protests, according to Mr. Femi Bamisile, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Delegated Legislation.
Bamisile, who represents Ekiti South Federal Constituency II, emphasized the importance of dialogue in a democracy. He warned that protests intended to be peaceful could be hijacked by malicious actors, as seen during the #EndSARS protests under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Bamisile advised those planning to protest against the severe hardship in the country to engage in dialogue with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. He urged the proponents of the proposed #EndBadGovernance protest to consider negotiation as a more effective approach.
The former Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly highlighted that embracing dialogue, despite grievances, would be more beneficial and less confrontational. He noted that the current economic hardship, marked by high fuel prices and soaring food costs, requires collaborative efforts at both national and subnational levels to provide relief for Nigerians.
“Protest is an inalienable right of all Nigerians, provided it remains peaceful and free of violence. However, ensuring this is challenging, as evidenced by the #EndSARS protests, which were hijacked by evildoers,” Bamisile said.
He pointed out that Lagos State suffered property losses exceeding a trillion Naira during the #EndSARS protests due to the destruction of national monuments. He stressed the importance of considering Nigeria’s political, ethnic, and religious complexities when organizing protests and advocated for good governance through civilized means and dialogue.
Bamisile also addressed the need for fair distribution of federal palliatives, appealing to state governors to ensure that food items supplied by Tinubu’s government reach the intended recipients to mitigate the effects of inflation.
“Currently, the federal government is distributing 740 truckloads of rice to the 774 local governments, in addition to other food palliatives from our national reserves. State governors must ensure these items reach the targeted population to avoid further fueling public anger,” he stated.
Bamisile condemned reported cases of palliative diversion in some states, calling for citizens to hold their state leaders accountable to prevent such injustices.
