A major coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) has announced plans for a peaceful demonstration at the National Judicial Council (NJC) headquarters in Abuja. This action is a direct response to the court-ordered cancellation of a significant economic summit focused on Enugu State.
Protest Details and Legal Grounds
The protest is being organised by the 40Million Ballots Movement (40MB) in collaboration with allied groups like CISCAES and the Hope for Our Generation Economic Empowerment Coalition (HOGEEC). It is scheduled for Thursday, 26 February 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the NJC office within the Supreme Court Complex in Abuja's Three Arms Zone.
The groups are acting on a pre-action notice and cite a court order from the Enugu State High Court dated Friday, 28 November 2025. This order, they claim, led to the abrupt disruption of the "Enugu Economic Survival Summit." The event was supposed to be held on Sunday, 30 November 2025, at the Radisson Blu Hotel on Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The organisers stated that the last-minute cancellation caused substantial financial and logistical losses. After consulting with lawyers, they decided to seek clarity and legal redress through civic action, emphasising their commitment to democratic principles.
Broader Pro-Democracy Concerns
The coalition insists that the planned protest is not merely about a single event. They frame it as a pro-democracy action intended to highlight wider issues of due process, judicial integrity, and the protection of civic rights in Nigeria.
In their official statement, the groups reiterated that the demonstration will be entirely peaceful. Its core objective is to draw institutional attention to the challenges faced by civil society in engaging on critical national issues. They expressed a firm commitment to lawful engagement and constructive dialogue aimed at strengthening public confidence in state institutions.
The Aim of the Cancelled Summit
The cancelled summit, themed “Enugu’s Economic Haemorrhage and the Critical Need for a 2027 Political Solution,” was designed as a high-level forum. It aimed to mobilise Enugu indigenes, democracy advocates, and development stakeholders to discuss a sustainable socio-economic future for the state.
The conference sought to critically examine the economic vulnerabilities facing Enugu State and propose strategic solutions ahead of the 2027 general elections. A key part of the programme was the formal launch of mobilisation structures like the Enugu Rescue Movement and the Yes-We-Can Movement. These groups were intended to foster grassroots involvement in policy dialogue and development-focused political participation.
The protest on February 26th represents the next step in the coalition's effort to hold institutions accountable and ensure civic spaces remain open for such crucial discussions.
