#EndBadGovernance protests not regional but clear national message to Tinubu’s govt – Shekarau

By KEMI KASUMU

Shekarau, also a former Education Minister of Africa’s most populous country, pointed out to the Federal Government that, “Nigerians are saying ‘please go back to the drawing board and re-assess what you are giving us.”

Former Governor of Kano State, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, has described the August 1-10 anti-hardship protest, hashtagged  #EndBadGovernanve, in Nigeria as one that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government should see as a clear message.

For that, the former Senator called on the Tinubu’s Administration to go back to the drawing board in order to govern the masses well.

Engaged by Seun Okinbaloye-anchored  ‘One-on-One with Shekarau’ on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics monitored in Lagos by The DEFENDER on December 15, 2024, he dismissed the notion that the protests was a show of hatred by the North for Tinubu.

“The last protests on the end of bad governance is a clear message. The agitation was not a regional, state affair. It was a national matter. I think it’s a very clear message to the President and the Federal Government,” he said.

Shekarau, also a former Education Minister of Africa’s most populous country, pointed out to the Federal Government that, “Nigerians are saying ‘please go back to the drawing board and re-assess what you are giving us.”

This global online newspaper recalls that the 10-day #EndBadGovernance protest was one by which Nigerians took to the streets to demand economic and political reforms, including the reversal of some government policies.

This was as policies like the removal of petrol subsidies and the floating of the naira had led to Nigeria’s worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation as prices of goods particularly good and services became more than doubled thus causing unprecedented hunger and hardship for citizens.

The protests initially began peacefully but later turned violent in some states like Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto, leading to deaths and destruction of property, as the government was accused of using court orders, police and military to disrupt the constitutionally guaranteed Nigerians’ right to protest.

On 2027 elections, he weighed in on expectations for the process that is still over two years away, saying emphasis should not be placed on where the next President would come from.

Shekarau argued that Nigerians should focus on good governance and who the person is, asking political parties to field candidates considered to be credible and qualified without cases of ambiguity hanging against his neck.

The former governor did not specify if he supports a Southern presidency or power rotation to the northern region.

“All the parties should come up with their planning in a situation whereby they make the best of choices. But for Nigerians now to decide, our concern is that let look at the candidates produced by the parties.

“Our challenge is that all the parties should give Nigerians correct candidates so we have the best to choose from. But if you give us all evils, we will choose the best from the evils,” he stated.