A former Minister for Youths and Sports Development, Mr Solomon Dalung and Prophet Isa El-Buba were among those who led the ”End Bad Governance” protest in Jos, Plateau State on Thursday.
The protesters, largely youths, matched on major streets of Jos, chanting solidarity songs.
The organisers of the protests said that the exercise would be held between Aug. 1 and 10.
Speaking at the start of the protest, Dalung said that it was aimed at demanding good governance from the government.
”There is poverty in the land, Nigerians are hungry and cost of living is biting harder and harder.
”So, we are on the streets not to cause trouble, but to peacefully call on the government to address the current challenges in the country,” he said.
On his part, El-Buba, Convener of the Initiative for Better and Brighter Nigeria (IBBN), called on President Bola Tinubu to put modalities in place to end corruption and bad governance in Nigeria.
According to him, it is a fight to retrieve the soul of the future of Nigeria and its descendants.
“It is a fight for us to get good governance in Nigeria. None of us is going to retreat because we have a responsibility to make sure that the voice of the people is the voice of God.
“When they speak, it is God speaking, and God is saying that we must end bad governance in Nigeria.
“When the right institutions are in place, there will be no hunger, in the land, the killings will stop, and our armed forces will enjoy their services to the people.
“We are going to push on until we get what is meant for Nigeria, because it is better to suffer today and secure the future of our country.
“We are here to make a change. We love our nation; we are people of peace, and we must enjoy peace, and our country must come out of the woods,” he said.
Elbuba told the protesters that they wanted a Nigeria, where nobody would use religion or tribalism to seduce or manipulate Nigerians.
According to him, they were going to mobilise more for the remaining nine days of the protest.
“I grew up in Nigeria, where we were known as Nigerians instead of our individual tribes. I grew up in Nigeria, where going to school from primary to university was taken care of by the government.
“Then, before you graduate, a job is waiting for you, and that is the kind of Nigeria we want,” he said.
NAN
