El-Rufai: Why protest is useless – Sam Amadi
Former NERC Chairman Criticizes Protests in Nigeria
Former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Sam Amadi, has expressed concerns over the declining significance of protests in Nigeria, suggesting that many demonstrators are being paid to participate.
Amadi shared his views on Monday through his verified account on X, addressing the recent protests against former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai. He stated, “Protest in Nigeria is becoming useless, whether for or against government. Protesters are mostly hired. Even when NGOs protest, they hire protesters.”
He questioned the authenticity of public dissent, asking, “Then who is invested in protecting public good if we must pay people to express dissent? There is a collapse of common good today.”
His statements emerge amid increased tensions at the Abuja headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), where protesters gathered in response to El-Rufai’s invitation by the agency.
Demonstrators were observed carrying placards with messages such as, “El-Rufai cannot hide behind politics. Let the law catch up.”
On the same day, reports indicated that tensions escalated at the EFCC premises as supporters of El-Rufai clashed with security personnel, leading to the deployment of tear gas to disperse the crowd.
