Breaking: Nigerian Youths Rise Against Protests – Launches #NigeriaFirst Nationwide Dialogue Campaign

20/07/2024.

Being The Text of The World Press Conference Organized By The Apex Leadership of the Nigeria Ethnic Nationality Youth Leaders, Worldwide.

We have watched keenly for the past few weeks as a section of Nigrerians planned what they called nationwide protests against bad governance. We took our time to study the intent of the protest and their organisers.

“However, three days to the said protest, the true organisers, as well as their intentions remain a mystery. Up till this moment, no one could point to the real identity of those engineering the protest. It, therefore, becomes dangerous to jump into such a headless ship.

Having met and reviewed the situation, we declare as follow:

That we are not a party to the protest and condemn it in its entirety.

We are aware of the current hardship in the country, but it has become expedient to remind Nigerians that these problems are surmountable, all we need is chat a common way forward through constructive criticism and engagement through robust no holdbar nationwide dialogue conversations Campaign Movement and sensitisations, free from unwarranted interference and intimidation. Wherein all collated views and resolutions across all the 774 local governments in Nigeria shall be presented to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through Senator Godswill Akpabio led Senate for onward monitoring, evaluation checks and strategic implementation accordingly.

We are telling Nigerian youths that we are not part of the protest because we were not carried along in the planning, regrettably some identified persons and politicians have decided to weponised the pains and anguish of the downtrodden Nigerians, mainly caused by the previous administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and others , now inherited by the President Bola Tinubu’s led government.

We are fully aware that hoodlums are planning to hijack the process. As the Apex youth organization in the country with over 407 ethnic Nationalities organizations we were not carried along, rather politicians and other personalities who are abroad are planning to weponise and use hapless Nigerians to achieve their inordinate selfish motives. This must not be allowed to happen.

In order to urgently avert and avoid hijacking the protest and setting our country on fire, we call on Nigerians to jettison the proposed national protest and join hands with our body as we kick starts proper consultations as we plan to convoke a National Dialogue Sensitisation Campaign tagged: #NigeriaFirst
with the various critical youth stakeholders and government.

Unfortunately, there are credible security reports that this protest will be hijacked by the enemies of the country, who are bent on setting the country on fire, a litmus case is the #Endsars and Kenya’s brouhaha.

We reaffirm our earlier position that we are solidly behind the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, based on verifiable evidence of his good intentions to life Nigeria and Nigerians out of the dungeons.

As he is on the part of progress having achieved the most critical challenge; the Local Government Autonomy, N110 Billion Youth Intervention Funds, Students Loan, CNG mode of fuelling and ease of transportation, delivery critical infrastructural projects across the country, establishment and immediate funding of the South East Development Commission alongside other Northern and Southern Geopolitical Zonal Commissions simultaneously,
increased IGR and external reserve and less borrowing to fund the budget, while working tirelessly to diversify from monolithic oil economy to divers opportunities of Tech, Agricultural Revolution in order to ensure absolute food security and productivity, human capital development to mention a few.

As much as we admit that there are challenges facing the country, we don’t believe that protest is the way forward. Rather, we should all keep faith with the government as it makes conscious efforts to restore the fortunes of the country.

Without mincing words, we restate that the entire Nigerian youths have confidence in President Tinubu’s government and would not do anything to jeopardise its efforts. In most cases, it only gets better after it has gotten worse, and that is the current situation in the country.

Anyone looking for the youths to be used as sacrificial lambs and instruments of riotous war under the guise of protest should look elsewhere; never again shall we allow ourselves to be victims of such a nationwide evil action.

God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Signed:

Comrade Terry Obieh, President General, Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders/President General, NENYLCW,

Comrade Balarabe Rufai, President, Northern Youth Council/ Vice President, NENYLCW,

Aare Oladotun Hassan Esq, President, Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide/ Secretary General, NENYLCW,

Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, National President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide/National Publicity Secretary, NENYLCW,

Comrade Emmanuel Zopmal, President, Middle-Belt Youth Council/ National Organising Secretary, NENYLCW

Comrade Hamisu Dass, President, North-East Youth Assembly/National Treasurer, NENYLCW.