Mobiliser of the Take-It-Back Movement, Abiodun Sanusi, has underscored that mobilising 37 million Nigerians to protest against bad governance “is not a big deal,” given the country’s population of over 220 million.
During an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday, Sanusi highlighted the reasons behind the decision to organise a larger protest on August 10th. He pointed to the defiance of President Tinubu and the federal government, saying, “The refusal of the president to listen to our demands, the assault on protesters and journalists during the last days have only encouraged us further.”
Sanusi revealed that the protest would span the entire country, covering all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. He also expressed frustration over the denial of the Eagle’s Square in Abuja as a venue for the protest, accusing Nyesom Wike of filling the location with military and DSS personnel.
“We are not interested in any closed-door meeting or dialogue,” Sanusi declared. “If the president wants to dialogue, he should come to the Eagle’s Square in Abuja and speak to millions of Nigerians, just as he did on May 29th or June 12th.”
Sanusi criticised the government’s handling of the economic situation, pointing out the rising cost of living and the inadequacy of the minimum wage, which has been set at 70,000 naira. He also called for a reversal of the fuel subsidy removal, an increase in the minimum wage to 250,000 naira, an end to insecurity, and the release of all politically imprisoned persons.
Reflecting on the recent violence, Sanusi claimed that the government was responsible for the unrest, stating, “The government has been attacking protesters with teargas and live bullets, and over 40 protesters have been killed across Nigeria since August 1st. The people who are not peaceful are the government, not the protesters.”
“The protest has raised the consciousness of Nigerians like Karl Max said “ the material condition of people is what determines their consciousness so the material conditions of Nigerians such as hunger, poverty and impoverishment is determining their consciousness at this moment.”
Sanusi concluded by calling on the Nigerian government to address the fundamental issues facing the country, warning that the ongoing protests are an “awakening moment” for both the people and the government.
NNEOMA UDENSI
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