A group of young politicians of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) under the platform of the APC Young Stakeholders Forum has asked Nigerians not to see the ongoing ENDSARS protest against the government if President Muhammad Buhari.
The group lamented that the brutality of police does not recognise political affiliation when it occurs
Addressing a news conference Saturday at the national secretariat of the APC, spokesperson of the group, Barr. Aliyu Shehu, appealed to the young protesting Nigerians to leave the streets for their houses and places or businesses, and stop putting themselves and others at risk.
“Let’s leave the streets and go back home. If possible, form civil organizations that will engage government even better! Let’s not make other people suffer. We need not block roads as people with emergencies are bound to be in them. We need not ground commercial activities as people need to eat. We should not be the monsters we are trying to fight!
“We acknowledge the fact that these protests, which have become sustained despite government agreeing to the demands is as a result of the long years of mistrust between the government and the people, but we are not oblivious of the fact that the present government of President Muhammadu Buhari is committed and already showing the desire to bridge that gap and right the wrongs of many years, predating this government.
“That is why we want to call on the understanding of young members and supporters of our party, the APC not to see the protests from purely the point of standing against the government as the brutality of the police or SARS does not recognize political affiliation when they occur.
“It is on this note also that we want to call on our fellow Nigerians who are still on the streets protesting not to see this protest as an end, but a means to an end. The right to protest is ours; no government can strip us of that power and this government has demonstrated clear understanding of these rights by continuously allowing protests to go on so long as they remain peaceful.”
While asking the protesters to leave the streets, the group said they are “first Nigerians before our partisan affiliation are committed to using all political resources available to us to ensure the government delivers all it has promised and timely too.
“This press conference is one of our many planned activities to engage all the concerned agencies of the government to ensure compliance with the promises made. It is time to give the government a chance to work on these promises.
“Any further discomfort or even loss of life cannot be justified. We ask our fellow youths, to please leave the streets for their houses and place work or businesses. We ask them to stop putting themselves and others at risk. We want no further deaths. There is no need for any more bloodshed.
“As Young stakeholders of the governing party, We promise to put enough pressure on the government to ensure that these reforms are speedy, complete and comprehensive.
Oh, we won’t rest! We will fight the fight! This is a promise we ask you to hold us on.
“Our fellow Nigerian youths, tomorrow is still very bright. We don’t want to win the battle and lose the War. Lets not allow people from within and outside with ulterior motives hijack the struggle for selfish gains.”
