Lack Of Socio-political Re-orientation, Cause Of #EndSARS Protest – Hon. Peller Opines

BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – Against the backdrop of controversy trailing the cause of the wide spread protest by youths demanding the banning of the operations of the now banned Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigeria Police, a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Shina Abiola Peller has attributed it to lack of socio-political re-orientation among the citizens.

Peller, who is representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola and Iwajowa Federal Constituency of Oyo state, told journalists in Bauchi shortly after a 2-day training for youths on leadership and governance that every Nigerian needs to be re-oriented in the country.

He said that it is sad that a lot of people believe that our problem is just focused on the government, adding that most often times, people tend to realize that Nigeria operates democracy.

Peller said; “It is high time for us to rejig our national orientation. I particularly, as a member of the House of Reps, I am working on a bill to amend the national orientation Act and also a motion to ensure that the new national orientation works effectively”.

The federal lawmaker added that the lack of re-orientation contributed majorly in the #ENDSARS protests saying; “it is an example of the fact that we need to quickly amend our national orientation, when the protesters were protesting using their constitutional rights to carry out peaceful protests on the issue of Police brutality. Though the government responded well at first by ending SARS even when it did not believe in ending it.

“But the people refused to come to the table to negotiate with the government at that time knowing that it is a democratic government that has three arms, the executive, legislative and judiciary and when you said that a government has failed, it means the people of the country have failed and derailed in the actions that followed.

“If government has failed, then the people have failed. There is the need for people to sit together to understand each other.

“What the people should have done at the wake of the protest was to use the power of the National Assembly to engage the Federal Government solve the problem but they did not. That is the beauty of democracy, people have the freedom to air their views and opinions without anyone or agency stopping them from doing so,” Peller enthused.

He also said that Nigeria needs to get better in 2023 politically, stressing however that, “meaningful progress can only be made when we are re-oriented in line with best world practices.

“We have energetic youths who are ready to offer the best political leadership for the country. All we need to do, is to give them the chance to showcase their God-given talents of leadership”.