The Delta State Civil Society Community, Saturday, gave reasons why it would not participate in the proposed nationwide protests against hunger and economic hardship.
At a press conference in Asaba, the Civil Society Community acknowledged that there was hunger and starvation in the country, it however stated that the proposed nationwide wide mass action was a politically motivated coup d’etat.
In a communique read by Comrade Okezi Odugala, founding Coordinator of the Delta State Civil Society Community (DSCSC), the Civil Society urged the Federal Government to set up policies capable of ending hunger and starvation in the country.
The communique read: “We are leaders of the Civil Society in Delta State drawn from various coalitions and individual organizations under the ages of Delta State Civil Society Community (DSCSC) the umbrella body of the Civil Society in Delta State working for the greater good of Deltans sub – nationally, nationally and internationally.
“One of the biggest pillars of democratic governance is citizen’s power. This is so because the office of the citizen is supreme and power belongs to the people.
“The right to protest is fundamental in a democracy and we believe that every responsible Government knows this and must never gag nor intimidate citizens from expressing such rights.
“We at the Delta State Civil Society Community (DSCSC) believes that civil protests are vital for the health and vitality of a democracy.
“We however hold that embarking on a street protests at this time of our collective existence as a Union of many Nations is a deliberate orchestration to END NIGERIA and NOT a patriotic passion to ‘end bad governance nor hunger’ as being brandished before us all.
“Indeed the planned 1st of August, 2024 mass action is a diabolical machinations of political priests of Baal to hoodwink pauperized citizens into the gallows of death and field of blood.
“The re-incarnates of Jim Jones are determined in their infantile rascality and narrow satanic pursuit to enter Nigeria Nation as ignominious record holders of NATIONAL SUICIDE – Harakiri. God forbid!
“While we completely agree that there is unprecedented hunger in the land, we do not agree that the solution to end this hunger is to mobilize the angry and hungry citizens to the streets where they will be further exposed to the perpetuation of man’s inhumanity to man.
“Using the sorry state of our national affairs to mobilize traumatized citizens to pursue and score bitter political points is not patriotism nor nationalism.
“We make it pellucid for the avoidance of doubt that there exists the high likelihood of the planned mass actions being manipulated by anarchist and enemies of peace.
“These elements thrive on chaos and discord seeking to derail our collective effort and exploit our vulnerability, such manipulations could lead to violence, property destruction and a setback in the progress we have painstakingly achieved in Delta State.
“Those who are the purveyors of hunger and bad governance are largely not on the streets and their interest will be the least affected, rather it is the hungry and the poor who comes out to seek their daily bread to keep hope alive would be affected.
“If the protest will make the hungry more hungrier and impoverished causing more hardship to same people you seek to fight on their behalf, who then are you really working for?
“What about the hungry young people who some will use the occasion of the protest to engage in criminal activities breaking into the Phone shops that were opened with money borrowed from LAPO and more?
“What about individuals looking for opportunity to settle old political or business scores resorting to arson in the name of end hunger and bad governance?
What about gang and cult groups using the protests as a platform to re – ignite old rivalries, maiming and killing innocent people?
“To end bad governance is not to engage in actions suggestive of civilian coup d’etat intended to overthrow constitutionally elected governments in a likely show of vendetta over loss at elections.
“Civil disobedience to end bad governance is to bring all actors in the conversation to the table of engagement seeking common grounds for the greater good and not some malicious and mischief making enterprise masqueraded as people’s agenda.
“We are not unmindful of our recent past, how exuberance and zeal without visionary organizing chaotically ended the ENDSARS shutdown nationwide protests.
“It is our view at the Delta State Civil Society Community (DSCSC) that there are more efficient strategic alternatives to the Nationwide Protests.
“We are also not unaware that very sore political losers desperately working to hijack political power at all cost are fully in support of this attempt to portray all Governments whether at Federal and State levels as bad.
“In Delta State we acknowledge the painstaking efforts of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Francis Oborevwori to advancing Delta State and making it work for the good of all Deltans through the MORE Agenda.
“Street protests at this time is counterproductive as town hall engagements and more where citizens can engage Government will make greater impact.
“We will not stand against the choices of any citizen to self-expression BUT we kindly ask every citizen for their understanding and appeal against any mass protests and civil disobedience that can derail our collective march forward to finding solutions to our social – economic and political challenges.”
