Following the downside of the violence emanated from the EndSARs protest across the country in October 2022, the International Republican Institute (IRI) has said protest is an instrument of implementing positive policies in the country.
Speaking in a workshop tagged protest to policy in Abuja, the IRI Resident Program Director, Santiago Stocker, said the institute focus on achieving legitimate change in impacting policies through positive protest.
He said; “We are here today to talk about protest. The right to protest is fundamental in a democratic society. It is enshrined in the United States Constitution, it is enshrined in section 4 subsection 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, and it is enshrined in many other countries around the world. It is an essential right to protest.
“Protest can be a great drive for change, but it can also spark instability especially when protest becomes violent or when the government responds with violence. Across the continent, we have seen protest movements overthrow autocrats and have bad elections.
“We have also seen protest movements end in bloodshed, government crackdowns, coups, and civil war.
Despite these uncertainties, it is clear that protest is a legitimate avenue of the last avenue when government and institutions fail to deliver.
“At this moment in Nigeria, with institutions and democracy yet to be consolidated, protest is more important than ever. But how protests are conducted, and how the government responds determines whether the demands of the public can be translated into policies change and contributes positively to the democracy of Nigeria.
“Our main focus is bringing together the demand side and the supply side together, we want to focus protest on achieving the legitimate change in impacting policies as we saw in Nigeria and across the continent. Protest can lead to reform if handled properly. It is a powerful force that needs to be mobilized constructively.”
Speaking also, another senior manager, IRI, Utpal R. Mistra, said protest is a tool for positive policy change in government.
He said: “There are key elements that actors can look out for in protest, you have to diversify numbers and find a way to go and seek government for policy change. A useful tool for protest is the media as a tool for positive policy change in the government. This will help in having a positive outcome.
“Protests can bring people together who share common concerns or grievances, creating a sense of community and solidarity.”
