Niger Delta Youths Defy Calls to Shun Protest, Plan to Occupy East-West Road
In a bold move, Niger Delta youths under the Revamp Niger Delta Now Movement (RNDNM) have announced plans to proceed with their August 1-10 protest and occupy the East-West Road, despite calls from politicians and traditional rulers to shun the event.
The RNDNM, in a statement, said the various calls to abandon the protest have fallen on deaf ears, adding that they have fully mobilized a crowd to demonstrate peacefully in Bayelsa State to vent their anger over the current hardship experienced in the country.
The statement read: “The various calls by politicians and traditional rulers to shun the organised national #EndbadGovernance protest in Nigeria has greeted our ears with deafness. We wish to draw the attention of the public that the protest will be observed in Bayelsa State and fully mobilised by our group with a crowd, which would demonstrate peacefully to vent their anger over the current hardship experienced in our beloved country.”
The RNDNM’s decision to go ahead with the protest has been met with resistance from some quarters, including the 21st Century Youths of Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience (21st CYNDAC), who have urged youths and residents of the South-South, South-East, and South-West regions to shun the protest, citing its political undertones.
Meanwhile, the Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom, King Obukowho Whiskey, Udurhie 1, has called on President Bola Tinubu to address the concerns raised by the youths and pleaded that the planned protest be shelved.
The youths, however, remain resolute in their determination to exercise their constitutional right to protest, as enshrined in Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution (as amended). They believe that protest is their right and nobody can take it away from them.
The planned occupation of the East-West Road from August 1 to 10, 2024, is a clear indication of the youths’ resolve to make their voices heard and demand accountability from the government. Only time will tell whether their efforts will yield the desired results.
