#EndBadGovernance: Trial of minors disgraceful, despicable

Head of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Bode George, has condemned the arrest of at least 76 protesters, many of whom were minors, during the last #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests in the country, a development that has generated public condemnation.

The minors were last Friday arraigned by the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on 10 counts including treason, inciting insurrection by urging the military to remove President Bola Tinubu and others. The accused, concerned, was seen looking clearly malnourished in a video circulated online.

Recall that PUNCH Online had reported how as the defendants were brought into the courtroom, four of them – the 8th, 66th, 69th and 49th defendants – collapsed on their way to the dock. He lay on the floor writhing in pain, prompting lawyers and jail officials to escort him out of the courtroom.

George condemned the detention and court appearance of the minors, calling it “absolutely disgusting”, “disgraceful” and “shameful”.

He said the Inspector General of Police should have taken a decisive stand on the detention of minors and ordered appropriate action to deal with the “evil” and “inhuman” treatment meted to them.

“This is absolutely disgusting, very evil. These children are young, if these are their family members would they do this to them? This is completely outrageous, how can we be so evil? We have abandoned every sense of decency and humanity.

“Why won't the IGP direct someone to cancel it, keep them in custody in a cell and then bring them to court, what to do? Don't we have a juvenile court, what is happening here? Does this mean that we have lost every sense of decency as a nation? You know what happens when they lock people in closets. Why?” George said while speaking to our correspondent on Sunday night in response.

“I hate it and will continue to do so. This is inhumane. It's outrageous,'' he said.

The former military governor of Ondo State attributed the country's problems to the manifold effects of mismanagement of the electoral process by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Although George said the call for military intervention in governance was unacceptable, he said the failure of the then government was the main bait behind some people giving military intervention a chance.

“We knew what we went through in the army,” George said.

“It's an unusual thing to happen. Yes, I know we have not reached a level where all of us citizens would be happy with the government. I have been through both (military and civilian governments) and seen both,” he said, adding that under a democratic system power “comes from the base up – it belongs to the people.”

“The big point of frustration in the country now is that INEC is not doing its job,” he said.

“If they are doing their job properly, and we know that if we go through the electoral process, it is fair, the right people will be managing the government and then they will know that they get their power from the people. Are.

“When you have an election, they manipulate the results manually and all kinds of things; That's why people who are not voted in emerge as managers of the country. So how do we get the right thing?” He asked question.

“What is happening now is a result of the way the electoral process is being managed,” he said. If whoever is there definitely knows that on the election day people will play a major role in electing or condemning him, then he will wake up and work for the people and not fight for his pocket.

He submitted that “Our election observers must be fair, just and equitable. They are the tripods of a stable government.”

Organizers of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests have vowed not to back down from the struggle in protest against the deteriorating conditions in the country, PUNCH Online reported on Sunday.

Despite the treason charges leveled against the arrested protesters, he vowed to continue protesting until the ruling class in Nigeria prioritizes the interests of Nigerians, noting that given the prevailing circumstances in the country, Nigerians must now “sleep on the streets” in protest.