One voice protest in Lagos
Despite the cancellation of anti-government protests planned by a popular musician, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2face, hundreds of Nigerians, on Monday, trooped out to protest the harsh economic situation in the country.
There were protests against the government in Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Osogbo, Port Harcourt and Uyo.
There was, however, another protest in Abuja, supporting the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government and its achievements.
Operating under the aegis of #IstandwithNigeria Coalition, the Abuja anti-Federal Government protesters accused Buhari of protecting corrupt people in his government while demanding the removal of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, for alleged graft.
Members of the coalition, who started their protest from the Unity Fountain, Maitama, marched towards the Presidential Villa.
Singing anti-government songs by the late musician, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the#IstandwithNigeria coalition insisted on transparency and accountability in the utilisation of bailouts, Federal Government revenue and expenditure among others.
The protesters also demanded the full disclosure on the secret recruitments by the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation among others.
At the Aso Rock Junction, armed riot policemen blocked the protesters from accessing the Presidential Villa.
A former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, was one of the anti-government protesters.
Addressing members of the group at the Aso Rock Junction, Odinkalu called on Buhari to “sack the grass-cutter in his cabinet,” a reference to the SGF for his alleged involvement in a N200m contract award for grass-cutting in the North-East.
The youth, mostly dressed in different shades of green and carrying placards and banners with various inscriptions, caused gridlock on the busy road.
Odinkalu, who read a statement, expressed disappointment with the Buhari’s administration, saying it had failed to deliver on its election promises.
He reminded the government of its promise to fix power within six months, adding that over 20 months into the administration, there was still darkness in the land, noting that poverty had worsened.
“We want to know how many children of big persons have been hired by the NNPC, CBN, INEC and all the big offices across the country. We want to know how much the grass-cutter stole in order to make our IDP’s go hungry and we don’t want the grass-cutter to hire the President as his lawyer.”
Odinkalu added that the nation deserved to know the condition of the President, insisting that Buhari must address Nigerians on his health status.
He warned that the protesters would return to the streets if the situation in the country did not improve by May 29,
“We give this government notice; by its second anniversary on May 29, 2017, they must show substantive result of the things we have raised. Today, we are here with a yellow card. On May 29, if things are not better, we will come with a red card,” he stated.
Another speaker, Deji Adeyanju, accused the President of protecting corrupt people, stressing that the current administration had committed worse sins than the previous administration.
“We have a grass-cutter in Aso Rock, who stole from the IDPs and is being protected by President Buhari; we have Buratai, who stole government money, built houses in Dubai and is being protected by this government,” he stated.
Anti-govt protesters are saboteurs
–Pro-govt group
The pro-government group also held its own rally by the Aso Villa access road, a few metres from the anti-government protesters.
The group, led by one Yemi Success, denounced the anti-government protesters, describing them as saboteurs.
“This government has taken more than 30,000 youths off the streets with its empowerment and youth employment programmes,” he said.
Success also recounted how hard the FG was fighting corrupt people in the country, adding that the government had delivered on many of its promises.
He dismissed the anti-government protesters as misguided, noting that no administration had done more than the Buhari administration for the country.
“This government has defeated Boko Haram, which the previous government could not do. It is generating employment for youths and diversifying the economy in order to create opportunities for Nigerians to thrive and prosper, but some misguided people are not seeing anything good in what the government is doing,” Success stated.
The pro-government group, which also started its street walk from the Unity Fountain, trailed the#IstandwithNigeria protesters to the location of their rally.
The group members rode in a truck which arrived at the Aso Villa junction just as the#IstandwithNigeria protesters were rounding off their rally.
However, there was no incident as the two groups maintained a healthy distance and carried on their rallies as the police watched with alertness.
Charly Boy, Sowore, others protest amidst heavy security in Lagos
In Lagos, hundreds of residents trooped out to protest against what they described as government insensitivity to the sufferings of Nigerians.
The protesters gathered under the aegis of‘Enough is Enough Nigeria’ and were led by the Executive Director of the group, Yemi Adamolekun; social activist, Charles Oputa, aka Charly Boy; and Publisher of SaharaReporters,Omoyele Sowore.
The group converged on the National Stadium in Surulere, around 8am despite the heavy deployment of security operatives in the area and its environs.
The protesters sang solidarity songs as they condemned alleged looters, calling for a change in government policies that are said to be causing hardship for the people.
The protesters marched through Ikorodu Road and took a detour at the Ojuelegba Roundabout, before heading for the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu.
At the National Arts Theatre, where the protest ended, the group met another team of armed riot policemen and some military officers in patrol vans, led by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni.
In front of the theatre, the protest leaders took turns to address the crowd.
Sowore, in his remark, said only a revolution would effect a change in government.
He said, “I came here today to fight for my right. It is your duty to fight for your right as well. And I did not come for a rally, I came for a protest. I came to protest against a government of inefficiency; a government that is absent completely from our lives; a government that the head of government is nowhere to be found and nobody can tell whether he is on a vacation or on a sick leave.
“The truth is that Nigeria has been destroyed since 1960. We have not been able to produce anything, not even toothpick. Nothing can give us a total liberation except a revolution. If you think a peaceful protest can do it for you, I wish you good luck. Go and ask those in Egypt and The Gambia. We are in for a fight until we are liberated.”
Seyi law adressing the crowd
Popular comedian, Oluwaseyitan Aletile, aka Seyilaw, lamented that the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government had done nothing to improve the living conditions of Nigerians.
He said, “If our President could leave the country to go and seek medical help in London when Aso Rock has a multi-billion naira hospital, what is the hope of the masses? Before this government came in, they told us power was not stable because we were being ruled by amateurs. Now that the ‘professionals’ are there, has there been any change?’’
Charly Boy said the protest would continue until government heeded the call of the masses, adding that the absence of 2face had not affected the protest.
“Next month, there will be a bigger rally. We are going to shut down Abuja. We are sending a message to them. We have suffered enough. Our mumu don do,” he added.
The convener of the rally, Adamolekun, noted that her group had planned the demonstration with2face before he pulled out.
She explained that her group was not interested in a revolution, adding that a petition had already been sent to the acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, stating the demands of the group.
Owoseni, who addressed journalists shortly after the protest, which ended around past 12pm, commended the conduct of the security agencies, adding that the police were at the area to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order.
Credit Punch
