A group, Adamawa Likeminds, has moved against the trend in the state by backing the planned nationwide protest.
Many groups as well as the dominant political parties and the state government, had, within the past days, distanced themselves from the protest.
However, Adamawa Likeminds, at a press conference on Wednesday in Yola, said the protest is long overdue because the government and people in privileged positions have failed the masses.
Leader of the group, Danladi Jonah, a youth activist, said, “To those calling for no peaceful protest, how many of you spoke to power on the current situation in the country before now? How many of you have rendered a helping hand out of your abundance to your neighbours or your community?”
He said because the masses have endured their suffering quietly, things kept going from bad to worse.
According to him, “Rising insecurity, high cost of living, bad governance, low income, high price of petroleum products, high electricity tariff, high unemployment rate, bad economic policies, etc, have forced we the law-abiding citizens to show our grievances to the government through peaceful protest.”
Jonah said the Federal Government headed by President Bola Tinubu has not shown resolve to tackle the problems, adding, “The government palliative measures are not working. Just on Monday (July 29), Adamawa State commissioner for information said they were yet to receive the rice promised by the federal government. How do they want the citizens to survive?”
He however called for peace during and after the protest, stressing, “We want to use this medium to call on the citizens to peacefully express themselves while matching on the streets of Adamawa state. Avoid provocations and be law abiding before, during and after the peaceful protest.
“We are calling on the security agencies to adequately provide security for the protesters as well as safely guard lives and properties, especially government assets during the protest.”
Adamawa group backs protest, indicts govt, privileged individuals