- Northern elites expressed support for the nationwide protest, emphasizing the need for political change to address Nigeria’s challenges of poverty and insecurity
- They urged the federal government to engage directly with youth leaders, advocating for peaceful protests while acknowledging citizens’ rights to assemble
Several Northern elites, including Dr. Umar Ardo, Hajiya Naja’atu Mohammed, Dr. Salihu Lukman, and Prof. Usman Yusuf, have expressed their support for the organizers of the nationwide protest against the country’s hardships, scheduled to begin today.
In a jointly signed statement, the quartet voiced optimism that the protest would lead to significant political and structural changes in the North and Nigeria.
The statement reads in part: “As you are aware, our nation has long been facing unprecedented challenges of insecurity, excruciating poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, diseases, and a high cost of living, all on account of bad governance and corruption in public offices.”
They affirmed the constitutionally protected right of all citizens to assemble and protest, acknowledging the cause’s validity and justification. They expressed their solidarity with the youths in their resolve to exercise their right to protest.
The statement urged the federal government to take a pragmatic approach to resolve the crisis, emphasizing the importance of immediate steps, including dialogue. They called for direct engagement with youth leaders and protesters to understand and address their grievances, cautioning against outsourcing this responsibility to traditional, religious, labour, and civil society leaders.
While standing in solidarity with the youths, the elders urged the protesters to remain peaceful and law-abiding. They stressed the importance of avoiding actions misconstrued as violent, harmful, destructive, offensive, or threatening to public peace.