Daniel Bwala, former campaign spokesman for the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has commented on the #EndBadGovernance protests, stating that the movement was influenced by the spirit of the #EndSARS protests.
Speaking with Arise News, Bwala noted that the protesters believed a multi-faceted approach was necessary to compel the government, reflecting lessons learned from the #EndSARS movement.
“Protest is the constitutional right of the people, and there are lessons to be learned by both the protesters and the government,” Bwala said. However, he emphasized that the protesters should have considered forming a leadership structure to negotiate their demands, similar to trade unions.
He added, “The spirit of #EndSARS haunted them because they believed that having identified leadership could lead to compromise by the government. They thought that a hydra-headed approach would be more effective in compelling action.”
Bwala also warned that in a protest without clear leadership or defined goals, undemocratic elements might exploit the situation, leading to the potential curtailment of the protesters’ rights.
