ASHENEWS reports that a Coalition of youth groups in some parts of Niger state has said that they are not participating in the nationwide protest because they have accepted the Government’s offer of dialogue, especially as every protest eventually ends up on a dialogue table.
The youth groups in a joint press conference in Minna called on all members in the 19 northern states of Nigeria and across the nation to stand down their participation in the protest adding that all past protests had pushed the masses into harder situations with loss of lives and properties.
The groups include the Agaie Emirate Consultative Forum, Movement of Political Freedom, Yan-Almajiri Endowment, Youth Lead Nigeria and Niger Progressive Forum.
The Spokesman of the group, Yahaya Mohammed Usman said that they have accepted the federal government’s offer of dialogue to avert crises across the country.
“We have closely monitored and reviewed the planned protest and the issues raised therein, the protest which commenced on the 1st August to 10th August 2024 is slated to last a total of 10 days and we are very much concerned for our nation, region and the citizens.
“While some of the demands for protests are very much genuine, we have become very concerned that some of the rhetorics from all sides do not point to a peaceful and civil protest, especially if you properly situate the security advisory from experts and several agencies.
“We have also reviewed government steps taken so far and the government’s call for dialogue. Given the steps taken by the government and repeated calls for dialogue especially through traditional Rulers and through the Honorable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris who has shown maturity and mutual respect to all sides, We in the named groups do accept the government’s offer of dialogue, we therefore call all our members in the 19 Northern state of Nigeria and across the Nation to stand down our intended participation in the Protest.”
Yahaya stated that if the agitators of the protest are truly after the welfare and well-being of Nigerians, they will obey the calls for dialogue and hear what the government want to say adding that anything other than that shows that they have other motives other than putting Nigeria and the people first.
“We equally plead with all other groups and individuals to accept the government’s offer of dialogue, as we all are aware, since the announcement of a national protest, we have noticed some significant steps taken to address some of the basic issues.
“We are also mindful of the fact that all past protests push our poor masses into harder situations and even loss of lives and properties and end up on a dialogue table, we seize this golden opportunity as dialogue is the biggest and the safest means of addressing all the demands in the protest.
“We are doing this to avert the usual circus of; protests, destruction of properties, deaths, then a panel of inquiry and the last, which is normally dialogue which has not yielded results. We went through a civil war and ended up in dialogue. We went through Abba women’s riot and ended up in dialogue. We went through June 12 and ended in dialogue. Even this one will end in dialogue so we accept the rather rather shorter route than the longer route of protests.”
The group also called on the federal government to immediately roll out terms of reference for the dialogue which is expected to commence immediately.
The group announced that they are forwarding a letter of acceptance to dialogue with the federal government to the President through the Minister of Information and National Orientation saying, “We also in the same breath call on all other groups to immediately do the same.
