The #EndBadGovernance protests in Abuja have significantly dwindled, with only two women, Ene Obi and Hauwa Mustapha, seen holding a sit-out at the Moshood Abiola stadium on Tuesday.
This marks a significant decrease in participation, as protesters face challenges accessing the central business district due to government restrictions.
The government-approved MKO Abiola National Stadium has failed to attract protesters, who believe it limits their visibility and impact. Instead, security personnel have dispersed demonstrators from various locations, enforcing a court order confining protests to inside the stadium.
Ene Obi, one of the organizers, vowed to continue the sit-out, criticizing the government’s response to their demands.
“Look at the president speaking to Nigeria. It was a totally empty speech. What are you telling us? Not even one of the demands has been met. Bring down the prices of petroleum products. This is the same government that fought against the removal of fuel subsidy. And the same president has used it to punish Nigerians.
“We are mothers. What they are doing is setting our children against us. Even the police and security agencies – which of them is going to a different market? Their money is useless. They are turning our children against us. The mothers in the land are wounded. No employment. Many of our children have gone to school but have no employment.
“They said you need to appoint one minister from every state. We don’t have minister of state in the constitution. And they are even creating more seats for more ministers to come in. There are no signs from the government to show us that they can bring down the cost of governance,” she said, calling for reduced petroleum prices and an end to bad governance.
The protests, now in their sixth day, have been marked by violent clashes with police, who have fired tear gas at demonstrators.
Concerns persist about the heavy suppression of the protest in Abuja compared to other parts of the country.
The police commissioner, Benneth Igweh, has emphasized the need for protesters to respect the law and the rights of other citizens. As the situation evolves, it remains unclear how the protests will develop further
