Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, Southwest chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has called on both federal and state governments to prioritize the protection of citizens’ rights.
He emphasised that doing so would help rebuild public trust in the government, promote national unity, and unlock the full potential of the Nigerian people.
In a statement to commemorate this year’s World Human Rights Day, Ajadi noted that there was no better time than today to remind the Nigerian government of its responsibility to safeguard citizens’ rights—an essential pillar of democracy worldwide.
Ajadi described Human Rights Day as a reminder of the ongoing need for equality, justice, and dignity for all people globally. Speaking on the 2024 theme, “Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now,” he highlighted the continued relevance of human rights in addressing global challenges.
He pointed out that many Nigerians are enduring untold hardship, with their rights being violated by government agents, either knowingly or unknowingly.
Ajadi urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remind security forces that in a democracy, citizens must not be denied their inalienable rights.
Read Also: NNPP chieftains defect to APC
“Let me use this occasion of International Human Rights Day to call on. Our president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a known supporter of human rights activism in the country, should remind various agents of governments especially the country security operatives that their main duty is to protect citizens’ rights and safety.
“He should let them know that anything to the contrary is not and cannot be identifiable with democracy.
“I also want to implore our human rights activists that as we celebrate today that set aside for our rights, we should not also use the rights given to us to deny other people their rights. Where one person’s right stops, that’s where another person begins.”