ACAGL Withdraws Support for Nationwide Protest, Cites Stability Concerns

The Arewa Citizens’ Action for Good Leadership (ACAGL) and 23 other affiliate organizations in Kano State have announced their decision to withdraw support from the proposed nationwide protest, citing concerns over the potential for violence and instability.

Addressing the press conference, Comrade Saeed Sulaiman Umar, the spokesman for ACAGL, said the severe economic hardship and insecurity facing the country. “The economic woes and general hardship are prevalent in Nigeria today,” Umar said. “Many hardworking people can no longer fulfill their basic responsibilities to their families.”

Those that attended the press conference

Initially, ACAGL actively participated in mobilizing people for the nationwide protest, considering the dire conditions of insecurity, hunger, and starvation.

According to him after careful consideration, they decided to withdraw from the planned protest.

He said the decision is borne out of the desire to prioritize the peace and stability of our Kano State and the northern region,”

He said . “We have witnessed the devastating effects of protests in some countries, where peaceful demonstrations escalated into violent conflicts, resulting in loss of lives and destruction of property.”

Despite their withdrawal, ACAGL said there is  the need for urgent government action to address the pressing issues affecting Nigerians. They called on the Kano State government to provide immediate relief to its citizens and presented several demands to the Federal Government, including tackling insecurity, reducing petrol prices, reversing electricity tariffs, and reducing the cost of governance. “We believe that the timing of the protest is not in the best interest of the nation and may only serve to exacerbate the existing challenges,” Umar concluded.