Pascal Oparada
Nigerians are calling on the former vice president and presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 elections, Atiku Abubakar to lead them in street protests against the recent electricity tariff and fuel price increase.
Atiku had tweeted his objection to the increases on Thursday prompting Nigerians who commented to ask him to out and lead them in the street protests.
“I reject the increased electricity tariffs. Coming out of the lockdown, Nigerians need a stimulus, not an impetuous disregard for the challenges they face. Many Nigerians have not earned an income for months, due to no fault of theirs. This increase is ill-timed and ill-advised, ” Atiku said.
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Many said Atiku should not stay in the comfort of his home and ask Nigerians to reject the increases while Nigerians are languishing on the streets.
One respondent said: “It’s not enough to reject from the comfort of your home, we need you to lead the protest. Reacting to this app doesn’t change anything.”
Another asked Atiku to leave Twitter and hit the streets in protest.
“We need you on the street to lead the protest, leave this Twitter street and come on the real street, Mr President.”
While another said protests are the collective responsibility of every Nigerian to protest against any obnoxious policy of the government and not any individual alone.
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“Everyone of us can lead a protest, it’s a collective responsibility of all, @ this junction they don’t need to tell us what to do if we’re actually serious and ready to witness & experience the betterments we’re all craving for.”
It should be recalled that in 2012 when former president Goodluck Jonathan removed subsidy from petrol many prominent Nigerians, including incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari led protests against the increase and asked Nigerians to reject the increase and the then government.
Nigerians woke up in September to dual price increases of PMS from N145 per litre to over N150 and adjustment in electricity tariff.
