END SARS PROTEST HEAT UP, AS OPPOSITION HIJACKS PROTEST DESPITE GOVERNMENTs PROMPT INTERVENTION FOR SUSTAINABLE PEACE.
By
Obarinee Wai-Ogosu
Hand of Esau, voice of Jacob, the inscription refers to the biblical story in which Jacob puts goatskin on the back of his hands to fool his blind father into thinking he is more hirsute elder brother Esau, and thereby obtain the blessing premeditated for Esau.
There are sincere signs that the President Muhammadu Buhari’s led government is willing to consider real reform of the Nigerian Police Force, with the presidency making rhetorical commitment to uphold the rule of law.
However the opposition have hijacked the protest movement for their own ends.
Frontline opposition party People’s Democratic party (PDP) with other notable powerful individuals have succeeded in occupying a resonant space, creating powerful images and inscriptions, thus exploiting the heterogeneous End SARS protest.
Political observers, say it is increasingly apparent that new deals have been struck behind closed doors, due to the inability of a coalation of anti- Buhari administration pre-planned protest technically deflected by the government by setting up a technical committee.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the trade unoin Congress( TUC) suspended the planned nation wide protest that was to commence on Monday, September 28, 2020, over the recent hike in electricity tarrif and petrol pump price.
Agreements were reached between the Federal and the organized labour during the meeting held by both parties which started on Monday morning. In the agreement between the Federal Government and organized Labour, the hike in electricity tarrif is to be suspended for a period of 2 weeks, while the new pump price of petrol is to be remained unchanged.
Both parties agreed to set up a technical committee on electricity tarrif reforms, comprising ministries, Agencies, Departments, NLC and TUC, which will work for a duration of 2 weeks with effect from Monday September 28, 2020, to examine the justification of the new policy in view of the need for the voilation of the basis for new cost-reflective tarrif.
The agreement between the Government and trade union, didn’t go down well with some power blocks, that have invested heavily on the planned protest.
Obvious signs have shown, that the END SARS protest have been hijacked and now politically motivated,demonstrating direct actions by notable card carrying members of the opposition party, thereby using the protest as a political weapon against the Government in power.
Characters like yul edochie, Adeyanju Deji and many more have given a clearer picture, showing what they and their sponsors are up to.
We should know there is need for a United and indivisible Nigeria, we must focus on the management of our diversity and not desecrate it.