Peaceful protest is civil right, should be encouraged – Shehu Sani
//Godwin Ekosin, Kaduna Northwest Nigeria//
Senator representing Kaduna Senatorial District in the upper chamber of National Assembly, Shehu Sani has vehemently opposed to attempt by security apparatus to stop planned peaceful protest by Nigerians to express their feelings about government policies saying it contradict All Progressives Congress (APC)’ change advocacy.
He said, protest should be seen as a yardstick to getting people’s opinion and feelings about government policies and should be rather encouraged to express their feelings without hindrance whatsoever.
The lawmaker stated this while fielding questions from newsmen in Kaduna on Sunday.
according to him, “a society that oppose violence must encourage the culture of peaceful protest. It is by encouraging people to peaceful protest that you can discourage them from going into violence.
“Tuface has the fundamental right to organize any protest. What we should not forget is that we came into power through popular mandate backed by strong culture, protest and critism against the established establishment and system. For us to oppose any peaceful protest now, it simply contradict all that we have represented and claimed to have advocated for.
“Protest in a democracy is a civil expression of popular vote against the government. Before we came to power, we organize protest against previous administration. For someone like me, I’ve been a protester all my life”, added the senator.