The End Bad Governance protest which kicked off across Nigeria on Thursday, August 1, witnessed a low turn of people in the South-East.
People in most parts of the five states in the region often embark on ‘sit-at-home‘ on Mondays to press home their demands for good governance and the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, a prominent figure in the region.
In major cities namely Aba, Onitsha, Nnewi, Awka, Owerri, and Umuahia, monitored by our reporters, residents opted for sit-at-home on the first day of the protest.
Most streets were empty until about 1 pm when people started coming out for their lawful businesses.
According to ICIR, heavy downpours in both Owerri and Abia state also affected the turnout of possible protesters.
Commenting on the development, a convener of “The Office of the Citizens in Enugu, Igbokwe Onyebuchi, said,” Although there’s a low turnout, the security outfits were professional in managing few people who are going about their respective business.
A media practitioner and the Abia State Bureau Chief for AFIA Television, Emmanuel Nwazue, who spoke on the protest said,” Umuahia, the capital of Abia State and Aba, the commercial city, did not witness any protest as people went about their normal business.”
He, however, noted that corporate businesses were under lock and key to guard against possible exploitation of the situation by hoodlums to unleash mayhem.
He also disclosed that heavy downpours in several parts of the state might have influenced people’s decision not to come out en masse for the protest.
Also speaking on the development in the South-East, a youth leader in Abia State, Daberechi Ekejuba, blamed the low turnout partly on apathy towards political issues and hunger currently affecting the people.
According to him, the people are already drained by the economic situation and lack the strength to go out and protest.
“I think the high rate of inflation has affected the people of the South-East. The average Nigerian is going through a lot. This is the same in the South-East. So to even go out and protest is such a big deal.
“And some of them believe that the protest will not solve anything and quickly want to return to their business,” Ekejuiba stated.
He however suggested that things might still pick up in the region on day two of the protest.
In Enugu State, checks showed that people went about their lawful businesses, disregarding the#Endbadgovernance protest.
In Anambra State, a resident, Sunday Elon, said there was no protest in the state capital, Awka.
