Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, has urged protesters rallying against bad governance to heed President Bola Tinubu’s call for dialogue and cease their demonstrations.
Acknowledging the importance of the protests, Oyintiloye emphasized that the ongoing destruction of property, looting, and loss of innocent lives cannot be justified. He expressed deep concern over reports of around 10 people killed in Niger, Borno, Kano, and Kaduna during the protests.
In a statement released in Osogbo on Sunday, Oyintiloye, a former member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, recognized the widespread hunger in the country but argued that resorting to violence against the government and citizens is not the solution. He warned that shutting down Nigeria’s fragile economy for 10 days would be counterproductive and could exacerbate the suffering of the masses.
Oyintiloye also lamented the destruction of the federal government’s multi-million naira digital innovation park in Kano, among other damages. While he acknowledged the constitutional right to peaceful protest, he stressed that the demonstrations had devolved into riots, which are punishable under Nigerian law.
He urged protesters to avoid actions that could be construed as rioting, citing Section 71 of the Criminal Code Act of Nigeria, which imposes a three-year prison sentence for participation in a riot.
Oyintiloye cautioned that while the protest organizers may have legitimate grievances, there are individuals who might exploit the situation to destabilize the government. He appealed to the youth and protest organizers to embrace dialogue, emphasizing that President Tinubu has the country’s best interests at heart.
“I appeal to the youth and organizers of the hunger protest to engage in dialogue and give the president the opportunity to take the necessary actions. Protest is a constitutional right, but killings, looting, and the destruction of both government and private property are not permitted by law,” he said.
Oyintiloye also commended security agencies for their efforts in safeguarding lives and property during the protests and urged them to continue acting professionally. He called on protesters not to provoke the security forces, whose duty is to maintain law and order.
