Obiageli Ezekwesili, a former education minister who is an economic policy expert and advocate for transparency, accountability, good governance, and human capital development, has questioned President Bola Tinubu’s justification for deploying security forces to harass and intimidate Nigerians. She has also chastised Tinubu for deploying such force against a population already suffering adversity.
Ezekwesili’s comments followed the Department of State Services (DSS) agents’ Monday raid on the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) headquarters in Abuja and the subsequent detention and release of Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Ezekwesili said on Tuesday that Nigerians would not accept authoritarian rule in any form again in a post on her X account. She also suggested three steps President Tinubu should do to reduce the mounting tension in the nation.
According to the former education minister, “So as if this severest economic hardship unleashed on citizens by the @nigeriagov of @NGRPresident @officialABAT is not traumatizing enough, the country’s security apparatuses are now daily deployed to harass and intimidate Nigerians.
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“I wanted to be certain of the news yesterday that the latest victims of draconian assault on rights are the NLC @NLCHeadquarters and its President @JoeAjaero94024 as @SERAPNigeria .
“So I ask, “What really is motivating this administration of @officialABAT to create this horrible tension in the country for an already badly distressed people?”
“Whatever is driving this repressive onslaught, here are 3 things the @NGRPresident has to do to stop heating up the country:
“The @OfficialDSSNG @PoliceNG must immediately comply with the constitution and laws of the land- release Ajaero, vacate @SERAPNigeria, return their documents, repair damaged property and compensate them for all losses inflicted.
“The @PoliceNG @OfficialDSSNG must release all the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters that are unconstitutionally detained or being prosecuted by the security establishment for no good reason than the intoxication and intolerance of @officialABAT and his crew that seized power through an election that failed all tests of credibility.
“The @NGRPresident and the @nassnigeria should immediately commence plans for a Citizens-led National Conversation and Constitutional process for Nigeria.
“If there is any wisdom left at all, this @NigeriaGov would do well to stop digging further into a hole. Nigerians acting collectively will never again accept any draconian rule.”
