Two civil society coalitions — Mekunnu Koya Movement and the Federal Workers Forum — have issued a clarion call for Nigerians across all walks of life to rise in unified protest against what they describe as the “crippling hardship, economic injustice, and creeping authoritarianism” under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a joint statement signed on Sunday by Comrade Wale Balogun and Comrade Andrew Emelieze, the groups urged Nigerians to actively participate in the nationwide protest scheduled for June 12, a symbolic date for Nigeria’s democratic history.
Titled “Be Part Of The June 12 National Protests, For Every Onlooker Is Either A Coward Or A Traitor,” the statement painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s current state: skyrocketing food prices, deepening poverty, rampant insecurity, and what the organisers described as “galloping government incompetence and unchecked corruption.”
> “This is not the democracy we bled for,” the groups lamented. “Today, the same system we fought to liberate from military rule is being hijacked by a tiny elite, intoxicated by power and greed, who now wield democracy as a tool for exploitation.”
According to them, while Nigerians struggle to afford a loaf of bread or pay basic bills, politicians shamelessly flaunt their wealth, living in opulence funded by public coffers. They warned that the continued silence of the masses would only embolden the ruling class to solidify what they termed a “neo-fascist regime” that thrives on fear, oppression, and systemic impoverishment.
> “Every citizen must understand that neutrality is complicity. Every onlooker in this struggle is either a coward or a traitor,” the statement charged. “June 12 must mark a turning point where Nigerians finally say, ‘Enough is enough!’”
The groups reminded Nigerians of the sacrifices made during the dark days of military dictatorship—people who braved bullets, imprisonment, and persecution to secure the freedom the country enjoys today.
> “Our friends died, we were tortured, and many of us bear scars from fighting tyranny. But what do we have to show for it today? A recycled tyranny, clothed in agbada, looting with impunity and using poverty as a weapon to suppress dissent.”
They denounced what they see as the Tinubu administration’s dangerous drift toward a one-party state and totalitarianism, warning that if citizens fail to resist now, they risk becoming “worse than slaves in their own fatherland.”
The groups also attacked the “Renewed Hope” mantra of the current administration, branding it as a “cruel hoax” that has brought nothing but renewed hardship.
> “In a country where food has become a luxury, where banditry has become a daily headline, and where governance has become a game of self-enrichment, we can no longer afford to be silent,” the statement continued. “If we fail to resist this anti-poor agenda now, history will not forgive us.”
They called on all Nigerians — students, workers, traders, professionals, and the unemployed — to mobilise from their streets, campuses, offices, and neighborhoods, and organise mass protests that will echo the demands for justice, equity, and responsible governance.
> “Dare to struggle, dare to win! The road ahead will not be easy, but it is a path we must walk. Let the June 12 National Day of Action spark the beginning of a sustained struggle to reclaim Nigeria from the grip of political bandits.”
In conclusion, the groups reiterated that this is not just another protest — it is a battle for the soul of the nation.
> “We are not calling for empathy. We are calling for action. Join the resistance. Be counted among the true defenders of Nigeria’s future. Let June 12 go down in history again—not just as a memorial, but as the day the people roared.”
PIONEER NEWS 