Speaking at a Press Briefing, the South-South Zonal Coordinator of the group, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana in a massage entitled “SAY NO TO MORE HARDSHIP” said
government at the highest level
has shown utmost insensitivity of the worst kind and they must not be allowed to carry out the proposed increment.
According to him, “Nigeria is
known as the poverty capital of the world with the highest level of inflation and cost of living.Fresh policy measures of the proposed increase in the price of petrol, kerosene, diesel, engine oil,
brake fluid, grease and cooking gas, even the price of electricity and tax on mineral drinks
show clearly that the Buhari government and his supporters don’t care about the plight of the
poor in Nigeria.”
However, the human rights lawyer, said the good news is that the poor are not helpless and that as humans, they have the right to self-defense.
“Thank goodness, the Buhari government told us of these decisions in advance, whereby the
price of petrol would bemore than double. This is a deadly stone thrown at the hardworking, long-suffering people of Nigeria. Our people say that this kind of stone ought not to blind us because we can see it coming.
“This is a dirty fly that is about to perch on our lips which we must not allow. Because we are human and not zombies, we must refuse to “Siddon look” and because we are not trees, we cannot allow these dirty birds to stand on our heads and
shit all over us. We must fight for our rights and reject this proposed increase in the
hardship we are already facing.
“We must first individually say no, then agree to mobilize all the victims; North, South, East, West and
everywhere in between. We must wake up our family members, neighbors, co-workers, fellow
traders, fellow students, fellow farmers, mechanics, carpenters, bricklayers, all those who run small
businesses, and indeed, all those at the risk of having their lives made more miserable, to collectively
and at the same time say, no to more hardship in Nigeria. We must mobilize Nigerians living abroad
to lend their voices.”
He said civil society groups have proposed rallies for 21st January 2022, while the Nigerian Labour Congress
has called for a nationwide march or procession on 27th January 2022, where the People’s
Alternative positions will be submitted to Governors and Local Government Chairmen
nationwide.
