EndBadGovernance protest movement marks one year with bold symposium against Tinubu’s regime

DDM News

(DDM) – Organisers of the #EndBadGovernance protest movement have announced a public symposium to mark the one-year anniversary of their historic demonstrations.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the event is scheduled for Saturday, August 9, 2025, at the International Press Center, Ogba, Lagos State.

The Youth Rights Campaign (YRC), one of the leading organisers of the movement, is spearheading the anniversary programme.

In a public invitation issued on Tuesday, the National Secretary of YRC, Francis Nwapa, said the event is both commemorative and strategic.

He noted that the gathering would reflect on the struggle so far and discuss new ways forward in the fight against poor governance.

Nwapa recalled the August 2024 protests as a turning point in Nigeria’s democratic resistance.

“In August 2024, Nigerians stood side by side to demand an end to bad governance and the reversal of anti-people policies by the Tinubu regime,” he said.

He condemned what he described as the regime’s “brutal response” to peaceful protests.

According to him, over 2,000 Nigerians were killed during the crackdowns on protesters.

He further alleged that hundreds of protesters, including minors, were arrested, detained, and some charged with treason.

The statement also accused the government of deploying thugs and non-state actors to disrupt protests and intimidate demonstrators.

He cited instances where traditional sacrifices were used to frighten residents in Lagos and halt mobilization efforts.

The group also condemned alleged last-minute court orders used to suppress protests in Lagos, Abuja, and Ogun States.

Nwapa said social media campaigns promoting ethnic bigotry were also tools deployed by the regime to divide the masses.

Despite these tactics, the protest organisers said they remained resolute and defiant in the face of intimidation.

“We were not cowed by their threats,” Nwapa insisted.

The upcoming symposium aims to examine ways to defeat what YRC describes as a despotic regime and its capitalist framework.

“As we commemorate one year of the #EndBadGovernance protest, join us for a public symposium to explore strategies for real change,” he urged.

The protests of August 2024 were fuelled by mounting frustrations over inflation, the removal of fuel subsidies, naira devaluation, and widespread joblessness.

Though initially focused on economic suffering, the protests evolved into a mass uprising against corruption and political authoritarianism.

Many observers drew parallels with the #EndSARS movement of 2020, although the two uprisings had different focal points.

#EndSARS primarily targeted police brutality, while #EndBadGovernance confronted broader state failures under President Bola Tinubu.

The August 2024 protests were met with violent clampdowns, drawing condemnation from local and international rights organisations.

The symposium this weekend is expected to feature student leaders, labour organisers, activists, and civil society groups.

Attendees will reflect on the past year and develop plans for sustained civic resistance.

Organisers describe the gathering as interactive and a continuation of the movement’s mission to expose and dismantle Nigeria’s systems of oppression.

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