In this piece, FEMI MAKINDE examines the possible effects of
this week’s government clampdown on the #RevolutionNow protesters
on the country’s image, among other issues.
The ruling All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government
headed by President Muhammadu Buhari, in the words and views of
many activists, has again shown its intolerance to criticisms with
the arrest of the Convener of #RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele
Sowore, and the clampdown on protesters in some states across the
country.
Sowore’s continued detention and the clampdown on defenceless
protesters by security agent have come under heavy criticisms by
some individuals and human rights groups, with many of them
describing the development as a gradual descent to
authoritarianism.
Already, many Nigerians had expressed displeasure over the
manner Buhari was handling the insecurity crisis in the
country.
Under Buhari, who promised change, the nation’s poverty grew
worse to the extent that it now occupies the unenviable position of
the world poverty headquarters.
The level of unemployment is appalling while workers have been
reduced to beggars and job loss has become a daily occurrence.
These issues, coupled with the government’s penchant for
disobeying court orders, have made many to conclude that the
administration of the retired Army general has started competing
ignobly with that of late General Sani Abacha’s in terms of human
rights abuses.
To mobilise for the change he desires, Sowore and the leader of
the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, who has been on the
run, recently held a meeting in New York, United States, and the
duo, according to reports, vowed to come together to end oppression
in Nigeria.
The duo were said to have agreed that there was not much
difference in what they were fighting for, arguing that most people
that “find themselves in the contraption called Nigeria today
wanted to be free.”
On August 1, Sowore tweeted after holding a meeting with the
Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, that Soyinka “agrees that at
this time Nigeria needs ‘National Indaba.’’
Sowore subsequently sent his “revolutionary greetings” to
#RevolutionNow and promised that his “presence would be felt on
August 5 in Lagos.”
One could safely assume that there was so much passion on social
media for the planned protest and some, who are active on Twitter,
even asked how to join the protest after Sowore’s tweet.
Some said revolution was the way to clean the mess, which the
nation had already been turned to, with one saying, he feared no
death.
While some security agents said Buhari and his aides had been
planning to deal with Sowore since the meeting with Kanu, some were
also of the view that the government feared the protest might
escalate if it was allowed to start, as many Nigerians were angry
about the insecurity in the country and the poor state of the
economy.
To prevent the planned revolution protest from kicking off,
operatives of Department of State Services had arrested Sowore a
few days to the date and detained him. But while the operatives of
the DSS went after Sowore to prevent the planned protest, a
pro-Buhari group led by one Ogochukwu Ezeaku said his team would
hold counter-protests all over the nation in support of the
President.
The Pro-Buhari group had also staged a sustained protest against
the Amnesty International at its Abuja office asking the
international agency to leave Nigeria for criticising the
administration of the President.
Soyinka, who likened Buhari’s administration to Abacha’s for
arresting Sowore described the move as a travesty, arguing that the
nation’s security agencies had learnt nothing even with the over 20
years of unbroken democracy in the country.
He said, “Nothing that he (Sowore) said to me in private
engagement ever remotely approached intent to destabilise
governance or bypass the normal democratic means of changing a
government. I, therefore, find the reasons given by the
Inspector-General of Police (Mohammed Adamu) for the arrest and
detention of this young ex-presidential candidate totally contrived
and untenable, unsupported by any shred of evidence. His arrest is
a travesty and violation of the fundamental rights of citizens to
congregate and make public their concerns.
“This is all so sadly déjà vu. How often must we go through this
wearisome cycle? We underwent identical cynical contrivances under
the late, unlamented Sani Abacha, when he sent storm-troopers to
disrupt a planning session for a similar across-nation march at Tai
Solarin School, Ikenne.”
Also speaking on the issue, a former first Vice President of
Nigerian Bar Association, Justy Erhabor, told Saturday PUNCH that
apart from lowering the country’s human rights records, the arrest
of Sowore and the clampdown on the protesters by security forces
could undermine the efforts of the government to drive foreign
investment.
He said, “By arresting Sowore, the Federal Government has kept
the #RevolutionNow on the front burner. The nation would have moved
on and the demonstration would have naturally fizzled out. We must
not create the impression that the only people the government
respects, tolerates and listens to are dissidents that bear arms.
That will be disastrous.
“Those who are disappointed with the state of the nation must be
allowed to legitimately vent out their views and demands. We must
not narrow down the options open to citizens to violence.
“I am not sure the government care so much about the image or
foreign perceptions. Unfortunately, foreign perceptions matter a
lot as far as investments and economic patronage are concerned.
“We just moved from the violent El- Zakzaky demonstrations to
RevolutionNow and Sowore’s arrest and detention. It does create the
impression, especially in the minds of foreigners, that there are
crises in the country.”
Erhabor explained that the development could give an impression
that the government and the security agencies were overwhelmed.
He noted that the situation was not helped by the slow pace of
governance, the delayed inauguration of the federal cabinet and
what he termed “the apparent lack of governmental activities,”
adding that “we are already known for our police brutality in
handling protesters.”
Also, the Executive Director, Nigerians for Good Governance,
Wole Oladapo, said the clampdown on Sowore and those who assembled
to protest was capable of further lowering the ranking of Nigeria’s
human rights records among nations.
Citing Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, which provides that every Nigerian shall be
entitled to assemble freely and associate with others as the basis
for the assembling of the protesters at various locations all over
the country, Oladapo described the clampdown on the demonstrators
as a violation of their rights.
He said such response to peaceful protests by the security
agents, backed by the Federal Government, would have a negative
effect on the economy of the nation as foreign investors would
conclude that the nation was not at peace.
Oladapo said, “The perception of the people is that Buhari is
gradually becoming a tyrant, and that might not be the intention of
the government but that is what the government is making the people
see. Perception is stronger than even reality and if you look at
things, there is no protest that has been allowed to hold. The
BringBackOurGirl protests were stopped, Tuface’s planned protest
was shot down some months ago, whereas protest is an inalienable
right of the people.
“The implication is that our image as a nation will continue to
go down and we will continue to paint the picture that is not good
for us, and this will affect the way foreign investors see our
nation. It also shows that we have not evolved from military
mentality.”
A professor of Law at the University of Jos, Prof Nnamdi Aduba,
in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, criticised the administration
for resorting to the use of force against peaceful protesters.
Aduba said, “How can a popular government be panicky when
somebody just mentioned the word revolution. Will anybody who wants
the kind of revolution they are insinuating go out with placards?
They just keep wasting the nation’s money because if the case is
taken to court, there is no way it can be proven that Sowore can
overwhelm the Federal Government. He does not have the capacity. He
is being detained for expressing a contrary view.
“The word revolution must be taken in the context in which he
said it. Revolution means change; he does not have any other
meaning for saying he wants revolution now, meaning he wants change
now.
“This same government promised change when Buhari was
campaigning in 2015. There is freedom of expression in the land
even if it is contrary to the government’s view. They can charge
him for treason but before that can be done the person must have
the capacity to overwhelm the government. Some are comparing this
case to Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s case but in Awo’s case, some
persons were sent for training. In this case, there is nothing like
that.”
He said the government was insensitive, adding that it bore
semblance with the case of El-Zakzaky.
Aduba added, Americans go to where Donald Trump goes to stage
their protest but would he shoot them? No. It is their right to
protest and people have the freedom to hold views contrary to
government’s .
“Things are not working in Nigeria and you don’t want people to
complain. It’s like beating a child and asking him or her not to
cry. The government is insensitive but what he (Sowore) and others
are complaining against is genuine.”
Also speaking on the issue, the National President, Committee
for the Defence of Human Rights, Malachy Ugwummadu, while speaking
with Saturday PUNCH, condemned the arrest of Sowore and the
clampdown on the RevolutionNow protesters.
He said the nation’s drive for foreign investment would suffer
with the way the government was showing disregard for human rights
and the due process of law.
He said, “This misadventure will have a negative effect on
foreign direct investment in the country. This is simply because a
country that has no serious commitment to the principle of fair
hearing and rule of law will suffer direct consequences of that on
its economy and foreign investment.
“Investors are not just particular about the population or
market size of the economy; far more than that is the rigorous
process of the justice delivery system and the regard for the rule
of law. Investors know that a country that does not recognise the
rights of its citizens to freely assemble without any violence is
not likely to accord foreigners such respect and their business
interest when there is a dispute.”
The Programme Officer, YALI Network, Lagos, Nendirmwa
Yakubu-Malafa, in an interview with our correspondent, said
maladministration and corruption were responsible for most of the
problems facing Nigerians, adding that people should no longer
depend on the government for a solution to all their needs.
“The ongoing entrepreneurship revolution will enable Nigerian
youths to achieve economic independence from the political class,
and make them prolific job creators and positive contributors to
the continent’s economy,” she added.
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