#EndSARS Protesters Having No Leader Will Hinder Negotiation With FG – Salihu Lukman

Director-General, Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Alhaji Salihu Lukman has come out to say that #EndSARS protesters not having a leader will forestall any negotiations with the Federal Government.

Alhaji Salihu Lukman recently revealed this via a statement in Abuja.

According to him, the fact that there is no one claiming to be the leader made it very easy for hoodlums to take over and wreak havoc in several parts of the country.

He added that no democracy can be adjudged to be working well if the people cannot feel a sense of belonging.

His words, “The disadvantage of protests with undercover or virtual leadership, especially by young people in an emerging democracy like Nigeria, is that potentials for leadership recruitment is blocked.

“The second disadvantage is that the prospect for negotiation, especially with the genuine leaders of the protest, is remote.

“Thirdly, capacity of the organizers to control the protest and ensure that desired outcomes were achieved is also weakened.

“All these contributed to making the protest vulnerable, which resulted in the sad hijack by criminal elements and the widespread destructions and looting that followed in parts of the country.”

“Any democracy can be adjudged to be working well if, through the different compromises it produces, citizens are able to feel a sense of belonging.”

“A major requirement needed may have to do with the task of aligning the vision of political leaders with the hopes and aspirations of citizens.

“Interestingly, it is always much easier for citizens to align themselves with the views of political leaders, but such views may or may not necessarily equate to visions.

“However, citizens can simply hope that their interests are represented in the views of leaders”.