…Soyinka, CSOs, Others to Join Protest
Omoyele Sowore, Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 election, has said that his party has mobilised the masses nationwide to shut down the country come Monday August 5 in the move to liberate Nigerians from bad leadership.
Sowore, who spoke to NEXT EDITION exclusively in Lagos on Thursday, said the protest tagged “Days of Rage”, which would mark the beginning of what he said would be “the people’s revolution against unjust, oppressive and divisive order,” would be a national affair that would cut across several states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
He maintained that the protest, under the auspices of the Coalition for Revolution (CORE), would change the conduct of the people in and out of government, even as he stressed that it would be a revolution being undertaken to make the people reject the old order and say “Enough is enough” to the oppressive administration they had been subjected to over the years.
Giving details of the protest, Sowore said that so far over 25 states in the federation had signed to be part of it, adding that the protests would be held in Lagos, Abeokuta, Akure, Abakiliki, Owerri, Onitsha, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Nsukka, Yola, Benin City, among others.
He disclosed that notable names like Professor Wole Soyinka had given his blessing to the protests, while discussions were on with the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and the Labour Movement to join in the revolution, which he added would be held in collaboration with several Civil Society Organisations (CSO) and political groups.
Sowore said: “The arrangements have been exciting. Professor Wole Soyinka has endorsed the action and he will be part of it. His presence will be felt on Monday. We are looking forward to a a shutdown of Nigeria.
“Monday August 5 is the first day. It is a continuous exercise. We expect that workers will stay at home. International travels will respect our airspace. It is a powerful movement. We expect respect for our desire to shut everything down.”
Sowore stated that although the labour leaders had not totally given their support to the action, a lot of labour units would be participating in the protests, adding that the Federation of Informal Workers Organisations of Nigeria (FIWON) would be part of the nationwide event.
He also disclosed that Okada riders, Keke NAPEP riders had endorsed the protests, even as he urged Nigerians to be fully part of the ensuing revolution, saying that the masses must be liberated from the current squalor ravishing the people.
Sowore said he was ready to confront the authorities, adding that from his school days, he had been doing so and would not be afraid or back down until Nigerians were freed from the current maladministration by the political leaders.
