Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Dele Momodu, has advised President Bola Tinubu against taking the reputation of a dictator by fighting citizens’ right to protest.
Dele Momodu‘s advice followed statements from Nigeria’s security agencies, including Department of Security Services (DSS), Nigeria Police, Nigeria Army and Defence Headquarters against citizens’ planned hunger protest.
Momodu reminded President Tinubu that he engaged in several protests before becoming president against policies of governments.
In a statement on Friday, on his X handle, the publisher of Ovation Magazine said, “As I write this, my mind goes back to my earliest recollection of you as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As a young journalist, you were everyone’s delight. The June 12 Presidential election annulment brought out the best in you as a pro-democracy figure.
“You spent money and time fighting the military. Our exile years were lived in constant fear and trepidation.”
The PDP chieftain told Tinubu that since he became President things have been hard for citizens because of his economic policies.
He said the President failed to realize the country was more complicated than Lagos State.
He continued, “Unfortunately, things have not been easy for Nigerians (except members of the privilegentsia) since you realized your lifelong ambition. And let me be frank sir. You caused it all. You did not realize that a country is much more complicated than a state.
“I’m sad and embarrassed that a fighter for democracy is now saying Nigerians will not be allowed to congregate and demonstrate on the streets, something you and I enjoyed during the military regimes, at home and abroad.
“I will never support anarchy, after engaging in peace initiatives in Sierra Leone, Liberia and The Gambia. But I’m reasonably assured that any potential threat can be contained and nipped in the bud, since our secret service claims to have discovered the sponsors of mayhem. Such people should be arrested speedily.
Dele Momodu further advised President Tinubu to go back to his friends who fought for democracy alongside him for sincere truth.
He told Tinubu to use the opportunity of the planned protest to test the strength of Nigeria’s security agencies.
“Please Sir, go back to your original friends in civil liberties and seek their assistance. Then, use this opportunity to test the strength, security architecture and combat readiness of our security agencies. Ignore the advice of the hawks in your team. They have nothing to lose since they are mostly beneficiaries of what others died for. Resist the temptations of full blown dictatorship,” he said.