One of the arrowheads of the nationwide protest scheduled to commence on Thursday, August 1, 2024, Deji Adeyanju, Monday, declared that there is no going back on the protest.
Adeyanju stated this during an interview with Vanguard on the fixed date of the protest, in which he said Nigerians are very ready to participate in the peaceful protest, while he spoke on other issues concerning the protest.
He said: “The protest is going to hold on Thursday and there is no going back on it.”
On preparation for Nigerians joining the protest on August 1, 2024, based on the fact that a lot of groups pulling out of the protest, he said, “Basically, the idea is to ensure that people are as peaceful as possible.
He further, stated that security agencies protect protesters, “Also ensure security people ensure protesters are protected, and that is the whole idea.”
Meanwhile, he said they will “The demands are properly streamlined so that the government can have a grasp of the entire demand.”
However, he said his message to Nigerians who would join the nationwide protest remains “absolutely peaceful.”
On the police saying they are yet to receive an application for protest, he said, “Nigerians don’t need to apply for protest, the court has severally held.”
On his fear of whether the security agencies would scuttle the nationwide protest on August 1, he expressed confidence that “Protest is the constitutional right of the citizens, the police have no right to stop the protest, no single right whatsoever.”
Speaking on the possibility of using those groups pulling out of the protest to be used to stop the protest, he said, “We are anticipating that already.
“There is nobody that doesn’t want to be part of the protest. The government is sponsoring people to attack protesters that they always do like during the EndSARS.
“The federal government is sponsoring people to see that they pull out of the protest, and all those statements and press conferences it is the federal government that is behind it.
“There is no Nigerian in his right senses that will say is not going to be part of the protest. There is suffering in the country and it is too much.”
On how to counter sponsored groups to attack those Nigerians that would participate in the August 1 protest, he said, “On goal has always been to appeal to the security agencies to do their job, the job that the taxpayers are paying them for. The police should not sit by while thugs sponsored by the government attack people protesting.
“Thank God that the police has said that citizens have the constitutional right to protest. So Nigerians should indeed go all out to join the protest.”
Meanwhile, according to him (Adeyanju), the nationwide protest with just three days to go would achieve the purpose.
“If government would allow the peaceful protest to go on, the protest will achieve its purpose and objectives”, he said.
Speaking on timeframes to meet the demands of the protest, he said, “Government is enjoined to meet the demands before the protest starts, and it is a kind of ultimatum. Government should be responsible, and why should the government even wait for the protests to happen before they come?”
He added that, “Government exists primarily for the purpose of the people, and if the government is not doing what the people want and the people are complaining, the government should heed to their cries and do the needful.”
