Leave the street, APC young stakeholders tells #EndSARS protesters
By Tunde Opalana
As Nigerian youths under the auspices of #EndSARS protest continue to occupy major streets in some states of the country, a group known as APC Young Stakeholders has advised them to put the protest on hold to allow the Federal Government respond positively to their demands, Daily Times gathered.
This, according to the group, is to avoid putting Nigerians under undue pressure and hardship as a result of road blocks that has run many businesses aground.
The group said it is only logical that the protests cease for now while the youths identify other strategic means of engaging the government that won’t put fellow Nigerians in further discomfort.
Addressing journalists on Saturday at the APC national secretariat, Abuja on behalf of the APC Young Stakeholders, Barrister Aliyu Yusuf Shehu advised the protesters to “leave the streets and go back home. If possible, form civil organizations that will engage government even better! Let’s not make other people suffer.
“We need not block roads as people with emergencies are bound to be in them. We need not ground commercial activities as people need to eat. We should not be the monsters we are trying to fight!”.
While promising to be apolitical, the group warned that the protest must not be allowed to be hijacked.
“We don’t want to win the battle and lose the War. Let’s not allow people from within and outside with ulterior motives hijack the struggle for selfish gains”, it said.
The APC youth group identified with the protesters saying “we want to put it on record that we acknowledge the genuineness behind these agitations just as we appreciate the unity and resilience that has been shown by Nigerian youths in the past few days by the Nigerian.
“It is a testament to the true spirit of the desire to enthrone a nation that works for all. Power truly belongs to the people and Nigerian youths have demonstrated this.
The group also appreciated the efforts of the APC led Federal Government for listening quickly to demands by Nigerian youths and putting in place measures to implement them.
Also, it commended President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Governors Babajide Sanwoolu, Yahaya Bello, AbduRahman AbdulRazaq who have all demonstrated that the APC is truly a party committed to people-centric governance.
“We want to call on the understanding of young members and supporters of our party, the APC not to see the protests from purely the point of standing against the government as the brutality of the police or SARS does not recognize political affiliation when they occur.
“It is on this note also that we want to call on our fellow Nigerians who are still on the streets protesting not to see this protest as an end, but a means to an end. The right to protest is ours; no government can strip us of that power and this government has demonstrated clear understanding of these rights by continuously allowing protests to go on so long as they remain peaceful.
“Fellow Nigerian youths, we know that the #ENDSARS protest isn’t just about SARS and police brutality but a vital call for the total reform of the different sectors of our national life.
“While we are aware that the decades of mistrust between our leaders and the led have left little room for us to trust these promises of the government, we must also realise that some of these demands will take time to manifest.
“We are using this medium to appeal to our fellow young Nigerians to consider pausing the protest while we give reasonable timelines and deliverables acceptable to both the people and the government to see these demands materialize”.
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