Lagos, August 2, 2024 – The #EndBadGovernance protests, sparked by economic hardship, entered its 3rd day today with organizers vowing to continue until President Bola Tinubu addresses their demands.
Damilare Adenola, Director of Mobilisation for the Take It Back Movement, a non-governmental organization, announced the continuation of the protests during an appearance on Channels Television’s The August Protests programme.
In a surprising development, Adenola distanced his group from human rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, stating that the Senior Advocate of Nigeria does not represent their interests, despite his previous attempts to seek security protection for the rallies.
“Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa is not our lawyer and he doesn’t speak for us,” Adenola said. “He might have presented himself as the solicitor, but he is not hungry. He is a senior advocate of Nigeria who lives well. He is not hungry like the people taking over the streets.”
Adenola emphasized that the protests, originally planned for 10 days, might extend beyond that period depending on the government’s response. He stressed the importance of the government addressing the protesters’ demands to halt the rallies.
“We are waiting for the government to respond to us and address our demands. And until then, the protests continue,” Adenola declared, noting that while their demands have not yet been met, the protests have made a significant statement to the current administration.
In Abuja, police deployed tear gas against protesters on August 1, as reported by PeakNews Online.
Adenola underscored that the protests have demonstrated to Nigerians their ability to hold leaders accountable. When asked about potential sponsorship of the protests, he attributed the driving forces to hunger and economic deprivation.
“If the Federal Government is sincere and concerned with the plights of the people, the President would have addressed the demands of the protesters by now,” Adenola stated.
The protests continue to draw attention nationwide as citizens demand action from their leaders.