Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has described the outcome of the hijack and fallouts of the #EndSars Protest as satanic attack on the Nigerian state.
In a statement made available to media houses Sunday, October 26, 2020, the chief said although every Nigerian reserves the right to embark on a peaceful protest in line with constitutional provisions on fundamental rights, but where the exercise of such right becomes an avenue to cause discomfort and national unrest, it becomes unacceptable to people of sound morals. It provokes a responsible government to take steps towards containing the situation and putting up strategy to mitigate impacts on citizens and the economy.
The party chief joined other notable Nigerians including former presidents to commend President Mohammadu Buhari for the proactive steps he has taken so far and the very thoughtful steps he intends to take as contained in his address to the nation.
He hailed the President for particularly accepting to implement all of the demands of the protesters and approving an increment in the salaries of officers and men of the Nigerian Police.
Eze quoted the President thus: “This government respects and will continue to respect all the democratic rights and civil liberties of the people, but it will not allow anybody or groups to disrupt the peace of our nation. Security agencies have been mandated to protect lives and properties of Nigerians.”
He counselled Nigerian youths to critically consider and act on the instructions of Mr. President whom he said has shown appreciable passion for service to the nation.
Eze described the alleged Lekki TollGate incident as not only unfortunate but also as an overrated and blown out of proportion in order to usher in the ceaseless destruction of public and private property and institutions.
He urged the President to set in machinery to ascertain what truly happened and bring the truth to the public glare so that false tale bearers and saboteurs will be shamed.
The chief said he saw the incident as another calculated attempt by those who engineered it to plunge the nation into an unprecedented and unimaginable crisis as several alleged victims of the purported massacre have denied media reports which pegged number of casualties at over 74.
He said this clearly was an attempt to discredit the President Buhari/APC led Federal Government and rub the image of the country in the mud of disrepute.
The fictitious report, Eze said, resulted in the wanton destruction of public and private property and investments; the palace of the revered Oba of Lagos, cars belonging to innocent Nigerians, Correctional Centres, Banks, Police stations, Media Houses. Even the house of the mother of Lagos State Governor was set ablaze, amongst others. Nigeria Soldiers and Police personnel also lost their lives to the incident.
The APC chieftain called on the Presidency and Security Agencies to severally investigate the Lekki Tollgate incident and bring the perpetrators and those who may have sponsored the incident to justice.
While appealing to Nigerians in the Diaspora and the International Community to speak up against the killings of Army and Police personnel, destruction of some Media Houses, Correctional Centres, Police stations, cars, etc., belonging to innocent Nigerians, Eze counselled people of goodwill to pray for the survival of the country as the conspiracy and satanic collaboration against the nation is building up by the day.
Eze condemned calls by evil forces in some quarters for the resignation of President Buhari who has put in reasonable efforts to liberate the country from the painful effect of the PDP 16-year maladministration and misrule
The party bigwig cautioned those he described as political desperados, who are in a hurry to take over the reins of power to exercise restraint and be a bit more patient until 2023, warning that any plot to abruptly end the Buhari/APC administration will be an exercise in futility.
On the other hand, Eze commended President Buhari for showing enormous goodwill by giving a sympathetic hearing to the cries of citizens and swiftly disbanding SARS and pledging Police reforms -a process which he said has already begun.
He said enemies and opponents of the ruling parry were unhappy that what they could not achieve in their 16 years of maladministration has been achieved in less than five years of the Buhari’s Administration.
Eze postulated that those who conceptualised the idea of the #ENDSARS Protest never envisaged the destruction of lives and properties of citizens and attacks on police facilities as was perpetrated. He said if the acts of vandalism, arson, disruption of movements of innocent Nigerians etc., were part of the original idea and vision of the #ENDSARS Project, then it doesn’t portray us as a serious nation.
Eze regretted that what is currently happening in Nigeria is no longer #EndSARS protest but arson, criminal invasion and looting of private properties and this must be stopped by every means possible. I therefore urge all patriotic Youths to rise and protect our common patrimony and save both our public and private property from the hands of these so called hoodlums. It is evil burning public infrastructure and wanton killings that have characterized the common features of our nation.
Eze commended the Edo, Imo, Ondo, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Rivers, Plateau, Lagos and some other state governments for imposing curfews in their states in a bid to restore sanity and peace to their domains which are fast sliding into breeding grounds and safe havens for agents of destabilisation.
Eze notes with happiness the coming back on air of TVCN after the massive destruction of the Station. With the type of zeal and spirit exhibited by the Management and staff of this award winning station shows that no matter the damages and destruction that occurred in various States we can still rebuild our nation.
He called on President Buhari to sit down with his eggheads and address other grey areas particularly the huge and unacceptable salaries and allowances of members of the National Assembly and unchecked corruption in high places including the lopsidedness of security chiefs from one section of the country.
“President Buhari, no matter the thinking of anybody or group of people, has demonstrated his intention to take this nation to a higher height not minding a few shortcomings which would be addressed as soon as possible”. Eze said.
He called on Nigerians and democratic forces to rise up and support the President in defending the integrity and sovereignty of the nation at this point, for, without a nation, there can be good governance let alone prosperity.
