By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post)- The CUG Foundation has called for end in #EndSARS protest to give room for the government to implement the five-point demand put forward by the protesters.
In a chat with newsmen on Tuesday, the Board of Trustee Chairman of the Foundation, Assistant Inspector General (rtd) Dr Charles Ugomuoh, commended the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu for his decision to disband SARS.
He however said the #EndSARS protest is a metaphor; a call to end poverty, call for end to perversive unemployment and call for change from bad government. The #EndSARS protest is calling for electoral reforms.
He said #EndSARS represents a call for the repositioning and restructuring of the country.
“How can the protesters say they have no leadership but somebody is funding and feeding them. The #EndSARS is garnering ethnic dimension.
AIG Ugomuoh (rtd) stressed that the President’s appointees have not really represented Mr. President.
The so-called elected people are not representing the people.
Dr. Ugomuoh recommended that the way forward is to rejig the government. According to him, the way to go is that there is need to rejig the government – shake off some government appointees.
“Looting is going on everyday, what stops the government from paying unemployment benefit, he asked.
He called on the government to come out and make pronouncement and create employment.
Also, Mr Nwabueze Njoku who is a Board member of CUGFoundation, said it is not a weakness to pull back from the protest having made their point.
Adding that if protesters would loose public sympathy if they allow hoodlums to highjack the protest.
He maintained that the government has obligation to create avenue and engage with the protesters.
Njoku commended the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila who said he would not allow the passage of 2020 budget without ensuring that the demands of the protesters are adequately accommodated.
He called on the protesters to pull back because history will not be kind to them if they are known as destroyers of the nation they want to redeem.
Similarly, another member of the Board of Trustee of CUGFoundation, Dr Mike Nwaneri in his remarks noted that the decay we are witnessing in the country today did not start today.
Dr Mike canvassed the positive that Nigeria is suffering from protracted leadership failure and that #EndSARS represents a call to reposition Nigeria.
“Nigeria carries a burden of raising and setting standard for the continent but proper process of leadership emergence has eluded her. He said there is need for proper process of leadership selection rather than the mundane issues of religion and ethnic considerations.
To overcome the challenges faced today, the following needs to be done:
An electoral system that will lead to the emergence of true representatives of the people thtough transparent and credible process has to be set on motion.
Overhaul of our political party system and electoral process. Money politics has to be addressed in Nigeria.
Government needs yo communicate to the people. The government has not communicated enough . One expected that the IGP would have set up a task force to dismantle torture places of SARS for Nigerians to see.
The CUGFoundation resolved;
That the “Sir culture” of the Police and law enforcement agencies should be there such that even as you want to arrest a citizen you apply courtesy and say ‘you are under arrest sir’.
That the new Police Service Reform Act must be implemented. The new Police Act says Prosecution must be done by legal personnel.
That the SARS and Police are not distinct from each other and as such, the IGP should order the arrest of erring officers of SARS, query and discipline them. This will act as deterrent to others.
