Lawyer and public analyst, Daniel Bwala, has criticised the recent #EndBadGovernance protests, claiming that the movement was driven by “Utopic euphoria” and lacked clear objectives.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, the lawyer commented on the nationwide youth protests, which lasted for ten days but, according to him, failed to achieve concrete results.
Bwala acknowledged that the protest appeared well-planned and organised on the surface, but he questioned its effectiveness due to the absence of leadership and specific goals.
“There are people planning it, the government said they could come up for discussion, but unfortunately, no one showed up. After they exhausted the 10 days, there is nothing they can point out that they will hold the government accountable for,” he said.
Emphasising the importance of having clear representation when engaging with the government, he stated, “If they had secured representation, they would have had an understanding of what can be or not.”
He noted that the Nigerian government is identified through the president and his cabinet members, and that meaningful dialogue would require protest leaders to present their demands directly to these officials. “It is when they bring their leaders with their demands and then meet with the president or his officials, and then he will set up a committee to handle it,” he added.
Further speaking, he explained that majority of protesters demands were matters within the concurrent list that fall squarely at the state level. “There are matters in the exclusive list which are the sole responsibility of the federal government, concurrent list which are the matters in which the federal government and state has a joint responsibility.
“Most of what was being protested were matters within the concurrent but they fall squarely at the state level. That was what brought about the issue of increased allocation.
“A better and organised protest is one that is channelled towards the state and the governors. Fundamentally our democracy is raised squarely at the local level. 70% of what affects the president is still influenced by his ministers or governors.”
NANCY MBAMALU
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