Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, emphasized that the Nigerian government will not prevent citizens from exercising their right to protest. Ngelale made this statement during an appearance on the TVC programme “Politics on Sunday” with Femi Akande, where he addressed concerns about the government’s position on the planned protests set to take place from August 1 to August 10.
Ngelale stressed that the Tinubu administration respects the rights of Nigerians to peaceful assembly and expression. He firmly stated that the government is not in power to dominate its citizens but to serve them. “Let me be clear: we are not in office to dominate our people; we are here to serve them,” Ngelale said, reinforcing the administration’s commitment to upholding democratic values.
The spokesperson also clarified that no branch of the government has the authority to suppress peaceful protests. “No one in our administration has the authority to deny Nigerians their right to peaceful protest,” Ngelale asserted. This statement aims to reassure the public that their constitutional rights will be protected.
Despite this assurance, Ngelale acknowledged the widespread concerns about the potential for these protests to be hijacked by disruptive elements, similar to what happened during the #EndSARS movement in 2020. The #EndSARS protests, initially aimed at ending police brutality, were marred by incidents of violence and looting, raising fears about the safety and security of future demonstrations.
