By Milcah Tanimu
Shehu Sani, a former senator and public affairs analyst, has announced that he will not be joining the planned protest on August 1, citing concerns over the lack of identifiable leadership among the organizers.
In a statement made to the press in Kaduna on Thursday, Sani emphasized the necessity of having clear and responsible leadership for any protest to ensure it remains peaceful and constructive. He highlighted his own experiences with organized protests, noting the presence of notable leaders such as President Bola Tinubu, former President Muhammadu Buhari, and the late Balarabe Musa during past demonstrations.
Sani underlined the importance of peaceful and well-led protests in a democratic society, warning against the risks of leaderless protests which, he argues, could devolve into chaos and violence. He drew parallels with recent unrest in Kenya and Sudan to illustrate his point.
“The essence of a protest is not just to express dissatisfaction but to do so in a manner that is organized and purposeful,” Sani remarked. “A protest needs visible leaders to guide and take responsibility for the movement. Without this, there is a high risk of the protest turning violent and leading to further instability.”
He praised the Kaduna state government’s policy of supporting only those protests with clearly identified leaders, aligning with his call for responsible and constructive public demonstrations.
Sani’s comments come as the August 1 protest approaches, amidst ongoing discussions about the role of leadership in maintaining order and ensuring that public demonstrations achieve their intended goals without descending into anarchy.
