Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi has expressed his support for the constitutional right of Nigerians to protest.
Obi stated this on Sunday while addressing journalists during a visit to the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, emphasising that protesting is a lawful right under the Nigerian constitution.
“On the issue of protest, within the Nigerian constitution, protest is allowed,” Obi stated.
He however urged protesters to act within the law and maintain civility, saying, “All I plead is for those who are protesting to do so within the law, and in a civil manner that allows us as a nation to show that we live within the law.”
Obi highlighted the underlying causes of the protests, pointing to widespread hunger and hopelessness among the youth.
“Everybody knows that things are difficult. When they talk about the sponsors of the protest, I say, the sponsors are hunger and hopelessness among the youths. We all have to listen to what Nigerians are going through, and I thank our governor for doing so; it is critical and important.”
The former Anambra State governor also addressed security agencies, urging them to manage the situation within the ambit of the law.
“What I say to the security agencies is that they should ensure they manage the situation within the law. We should not try to be overbearing. Protest is allowed everywhere globally. Even in my house, people protest, and it’s for us to listen to those who are protesting, and engage them; that’s what governance is about. I was governor for years, and people protested,” Obi noted.
In contrast, Governor Otti acknowledged the severe hardship facing Nigerians, but cautioned against the potential consequences of street protests.
Speaking to journalists, Otti said, “It will be very unfair to say that things are not difficult now. Things are very difficult, and hunger is real. But how do you solve the problem?”
The Abia State governor blamed prolonged bad government for the economic challenges being faced in the country today.
He stressed the legal requirements for organising protests, noting, “First of all, for you to organise a protest, the law requires that you get permission from the security agencies, particularly the police, and somebody should take responsibility for getting that approval. If you don’t have the approval, then it will be against the law for you to be protesting on the streets.”
The Governor concluded by urging the people of Abia to consider the implications of protests.
“My final word is that people should think about the implications of pouring out on the streets and restricting the movement of other people, possibly inflicting harm and more hardship on the people,” Governor Otti noted.
He advised Abia residents to refrain from street protests, suggesting that such actions could be more detrimental than the issues they aim to address.
