Dr Josef Onoh,, a former spokesman for President Bola Tinubu in the South East, has offered insights into why the region did not participate in the ongoing #EndBadGovernanceInNigeroa protests.
Speaking on Sunday, Onoh explained that the South East’s decision to abstain from the nationwide protests is a reflection of their discontent with the state of affairs in Nigeria, rather than a protest against President Tinubu’s administration.
According to Onoh, the region’s reluctance to join the protests stems from Nigeria’s failure to acknowledge the South East as a crucial component of the nation.
Onoh emphasized that other regions cannot expect the South East to lead the current protests when the area feels excluded from leadership positions and vital infrastructure projects in Nigeria.
His comments came in response to a tweet from Senator Shehu Sani, questioning the absence of protests in the South East. Sani asked, “Why did the South East refuse to protest when many southeasterners were supporting the protest?”
In a statement, Onoh said, “The South East is silent because the protesters demanded the scrapping of the 1999 constitution and its replacement with a constitution made by the people, yet they failed to provide their own manuscript for that new constitution.”
He continued, “The South East is silent because the protesters demanded the president to dismiss the National Assembly, the legislative arm of the government, without realizing that the President lacks the constitutional authority to do so.”
Onoh further noted, “The South East is silent because, even under a democratic setting, the region is heavily militarized, and it is disheartening to see the protesters advocating for military rule, which would be highly detrimental to the region. Our silence has exposed the real enemies of President Tinubu.”
Explaining the silence from the South East, Onoh stated, “We do not possess the same political luxuries, influence, entitlements, and benefits that the protesting regions enjoy. The North, South-South, and South West have produced presidents, but not the South East. This situation has made us feel like the houseboys in a problem between husbands and wives. How can we be expected to protest when we have constantly been marginalized and treated as outcasts in our own country?”
Onoh further expressed, “When we shed tears, no region wiped them away. When we raised our voice, they labeled us as mad. When we showed care, they questioned our motives. We are currently the least represented region in the current administration. We feel unwanted, hated, isolated, and believe that the current administration does not care about us. Consequently, we have endured a state of hardship and hopelessness, leaving us with no more tears to shed and no energy to protest.”
He concluded by saying, “We have been so deeply traumatized that we have resorted to laughter as a defense mechanism. Unfortunately, our laughter masks the profound pain we endure. We sympathize with the protesters and understand their message, but we are helpless to offer support or join in the protest against our president. Our only message is ‘Welcome to the club.’ We, the South Easterners, have never known anything other than hardship and suffering. We are perpetually treated as strangers in our own land.”
Despite the aforementioned challenges, Onoh still believes in President Tinubu’s leadership. While acknowledging that he may not possess all the solutions, Onoh urges the nation to unite, transcending regional biases. He emphasizes the importance of preserving our tolerant and permissive society, asserting that achieving this requires collective willpower instead of protests.
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