By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja
The Peace Corps of Nigeria, Tuesday, pleaded with Nigerians to dialogue with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and shelve the August 1, planned nationwide protests against hardships in the country.
The National Commandant of the Corps, Dr Dickson Akoh, suggested that rather than embarking on protests,let’s there be high level consultations to get better understanding of the issues and resolve them.
Dr Akoh, while addressing a World Press Conference on the issue in Abuja on Tuesday, expressed fears that protests at the moment may worsen the economic and political situations of the country rather than resolving them.
He maintained that any step that will be inimical to the well-being of the citizenry, especially the downtrodden ones must be avoided.
“It is the stand of the Corps that any step that carries with it the potential to metamorphose to a crisis situation should be considered inimical to the general good of the country and the entire citizenry.
‘As a patriotic youth organization concerned with the state of affairs of the nation vis-a-vis the planned nationwide protest billed to commence on Thursday, 1st August, 2024, the Peace Corps of Nigeria strongly deems it very important to add its voice to that of other well-meaning Nigerians and groups in calling for a cautious approach in handling the very delicate situation staring at us.
“The Corps is not oblivious of the biting economic reality in the country characterized by the growth in the poverty level of the populace which the effect is very visible for all to see.
“The Corps is very much concerned about the likely aftermath of the proposed protest and thus pleads with its organizers to consider the very much better diplomatic option of dialogue and persuation rather than the option of protest in an already volatile and tensed polity.
“Protest is highly susceptible to the activities of enemies of Nigeria who will not hesitate to use the platform to unleash their ill intention and stifle life out of the vulnerable citizens of the country.
“The organization acknowledges some of the overwhelming burning issues of concern that have negatively effected the lives of the people which forms the backbone of the proposed protest.
“The issues range from rising inflation, unemployment, hunger, insecurity and the general economic with adverse consequences on the lives of the people, the socio-economic and security of the nation.
“Most of these realities have more grave consequences on the average Nigerian, particularly the youth and women and are capable of compounding the already fragile security of the nation.”
