Protesters’ demands are legitimate… they deserve listening ears, Obasanjo tells FG

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says the federal government should listen to the demands of citizens protesting against the country’s economic crisis.

Obasanjo spoke in Abeokuta, the capital city of Ogun state, on Friday when he hosted some members of the national assembly.

On August 1, Nigerian youths in many states kicked off the #EndBadGovernance protest to demand an end to economic hardship, insecurity, and other challenges facing the country.

The former president said the youths took to the streets because the government failed to attend to their concerns.

“You are what you are today because you’re a Nigerian,” Obasanjo said.

“I am what I am also because I am Nigerian. So why should they be Nigerians and be languishing in poverty?

“Like I have warned earlier, we should know that we are all sitting on a keg of gunpowder if we fail to begin to do the right thing.

“For instance, what the youth are demanding is very legitimate and should be listened to, or why should they be denied what rightfully belongs to them?

“They make demands, and we are not listening to them. Many of them are frustrated, desperate, angry, and unemployed.

“What do we expect? They deserve to be given listening ears.”

He said fixing term limits for public office holders is not the issue, noting that the mentality of the representatives in the government should change.

“The issue is not whether Nigeria should adopt a single six-year term or maintain the status quo,” Obasanjo said.

“If the mentality of the people in governance does not change, then Nigeria will remain where it is.

“For me, the issue is for us to get it right. Whether we have one term of six years or two terms of four years, where it’ll work is our mentality.”

The house of representatives members co-sponsored bills seeking a single six-year term for the president and governors, power rotation between the northern and southern parts of the country, and a single day for presidential, governorship, national assembly, and state assembly elections.

They were led by Ugochinyere Ikenga, representing the Ideato north and south constituency of Imo state.