Heed President Tinubu’s plea, end protest, APC chieftain urges protesters

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has appealed to the organizers of the hunger protest to heed President Bola Tinubu’s call and end the protest.

Oyintiloye emphasized that since the President had acknowledged their grievances, they should embrace dialogue as suggested. Speaking with journalists on Sunday in Osogbo, Oyintiloye condemned the wanton destruction of property, looting, and killing of innocent Nigerians under the guise of protest.

He expressed dismay over the reported killing of about ten persons in Niger, Borno, Kano, and Kaduna during the protests.

Oyintiloye, a member of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), acknowledged the widespread hunger in the country but argued that violence against the government and the people was not the solution. He warned that shutting down Nigeria’s fragile economy for ten days would be counterproductive, leading to more suffering for the masses.

The APC chieftain also lamented the destruction of the Federal Government’s multi-million naira digital innovation park in Kano, among other damages.

A former lawmaker, Oyintiloye reiterated that while it is a constitutional right to protest, it must be within the bounds of fundamental human rights and managed to avoid escalating into riots. He stated that the protest, which had resulted in killings, looting, and destruction, could no longer be considered a protest but a riot.

He highlighted that such riotous behavior contravenes Section 71 of the Criminal Code Acts of Nigeria, which explicitly states, “Any person who takes part in a riot is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for three years.”

Therefore, Oyintiloye urged protesters to be cautious and not allow their activities to be interpreted as a riot, which is a punishable offense.

While acknowledging that the organizers of the protest might have legitimate reasons for a peaceful demonstration, Oyintiloye warned that some individuals, described as enemies of the nation, might exploit the protest to destabilize the government. He appealed to the youths and the organizers to embrace dialogue, adding that the President had the country’s best interests at heart.

“I appeal to the youth and the organizers of the hunger protest to embrace dialogue and give the President the opportunity to address the issues.

“Protest is a constitutional right, but killings, looting, and destruction of both government and private property are not permitted by law.

“We must be cautious of individuals who plan to use the protest to destabilize the government. We must not allow this.

“There is no doubt that there is hunger and poverty in the land, but we can rest assured that the President is doing his best to improve the economy, though it cannot be achieved within a year.

“Let’s give the President the chance to address the situation and embrace dialogue for the peace and stability of the country. The President has spoken; let’s listen to him and give the administration more time,” he said.

Oyintiloye commended the security agencies for their efforts in safeguarding lives and property during the protest and urged them to continue to be professional in their duties. He also appealed to the protesters not to provoke the security agencies, whose responsibility is to maintain law and order in society.