Isah Zaki, a prominent leader of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests in Bauchi North, has expressed strong dissatisfaction with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent nationwide address.
Zaki pointed out that the President’s speech failed to provide any solutions to the protesters' demands. He mentioned that the decision to potentially scale back protests in Bauchi North is driven by the disruptions caused by hoodlums, which have negatively impacted local businesses.
While Zaki expressed a willingness to suspend protests and engage in dialogue as the President suggested, he emphasized that if the dialogue fails, it is imperative that national assembly representatives advocate for the people’s demands. He insisted that if these representatives do not effectively convey the protesters’ concerns, they should be recalled and replaced with those who will.
“The President’s broadcast did not address the demands of the poor masses. The only reason we are considering reducing the protest in Bauchi North is due to hoodlum activities during the protests, which have harmed local businesses,” Zaki stated.
He added, “We may suspend the protest and give room for dialogue as the President requested, because we believe that every battle eventually ends in meaningful dialogue. However, if the dialogue does not yield results, our national assembly representatives must step up and speak on our behalf. If they fail to do so, they should be recalled, and we should elect those who are willing to advocate for us.”
Zaki clarified that the reduction of protest activities in Bauchi North is not a direct response to the President’s request but a practical decision to mitigate the impact on local businesses affected by recent disturbances.
