The African Action Congress (AAC) has condemned the recent tragic stampedes in Ibadan, Okija, and Abuja, attributing the devastating loss of lives to the anti-poor policies of the Tinubu administration.
In a statement released on December 21, 2024, the party mourned the loss of 35 young lives in the Ibadan funfair disaster, as well as the varying death tolls from the Okija and Abuja incidents.
The AAC described these stampedes as a result of “excruciating poverty, hardship, and wanton deprivation” caused by the policies of the current government.
“These devastating incidents are heartbreaking consequences of the poverty and desperation inflicted upon Nigerians by the anti-poor policies of the Tinubu regime,” the statement read.
The party expressed outrage over the lack of immediate response from the government, accusing the Tinubu regime of failing to take adequate emergency measures following the tragedies. “In other climes, a missing persons register would have been opened, a situation room where hourly updates on rescue and relief given to the grieving, would have been opened too. Instead of acting like civilized people would, the President was in Lagos gallivanting with his retinue of sycophants, showing off his new jet and fleet of cars,” the statement continued.
The AAC called for justice and compensation for the victims and their families, emphasizing that no amount of compensation could erase the grief experienced by those affected. The party demanded the formation of a democratic committee, made up of representatives from working people’s organizations, to ensure transparency and accountability in addressing the issue.
The statement also urged Nigerians to be wary of political leaders offering condolences, accusing them of using the tragedies to gain political leverage.
“We urge Nigerians not to be deceived by the condolence messages from politicians who have destroyed our country; who are responsible for the policies that led to these tragedies. Their words are nothing but ‘crocodile tears’ aimed at exploiting the suffering of the people for their own political gain,” it said.
In closing, the AAC called for unity among Nigerians to end the current regime of hardship, pledging to continue its fight for a government that prioritizes the welfare of the people over the interests of the elite. “It’s time for Nigerians to bond together to end this regime of pain and hardship,” the statement concluded.
