The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of squandering public funds to recruit fictitious groups aimed at discrediting the upcoming #EndBadGovernance protests.
In a recent interview with ARISE TV, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the executive director of CISLAC, criticized the federal government for what he described as an “unnecessary waste of public money.” Rafsanjani claimed that the government is mobilizing and recruiting faceless entities to falsely claim withdrawal from the protests.
“It’s not about mobilizing the protest,” Rafsanjani stated. “If the government had been listening to the people and implementing policies that alleviate their suffering, there wouldn’t be a need for these protests.”
Rafsanjani emphasized that Nigerians are both patient and reasonable, and they would respond positively if President Tinubu presented a clear plan to tackle their issues. He also pointed out that the president’s own admission of having supported past protests undermines arguments against the current ones.
“The president has actually discredited those arguing that the protests are illegal or against religious beliefs,” Rafsanjani added, referring to Tinubu’s past endorsement of protest actions.
The CISLAC director’s remarks underline ongoing tensions between civil society groups and the administration over the handling of public dissent and governance.
