Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari who has been on a 10-day working leave in London will resume work on Monday 6th of February 2017. However, the President will be resuming with a supposed massive protest to greet him after his relaxation in London.
The protest is against his supposed economic policies that have not yet saved Nigeria from the sea of recession despite the promises given the people of a better economy during campaigns. The protest is led by the popular musician, 2face Idibia.
Although the planned protest had earlier on met with stiff objection especially from the president’s spokespersons (Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina and from the Specia Assistant on Electronic Media, Mrs. Lauretta Onochie), the Presidency has again assured Nigerians that their rights to peaceful protest and lawful assembly are the business of the government to protect.
The Presidency also said that it is not against any peaceful protest by Nigerians since such is the right given to them by the constitution.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President, Mr Laolu Akande who gave the statement also said that government has no such business as countering protests but rather has the one of protecting them.
He said the Buhari-led government is very much aware of the rights of the people and would always protect them.
“Government is not in the business of countering any protest, particularly, the Buhari Presidency.”
“We are very much aware of the rights of the people and we want to protect the rights of the people, that’s the business of the government. “
Mr. Akande also said that the government is absolutely not against anybody who wants to exercise his or her rights especially those of peaceful protest and assembly because she knows that those rights are for the people and must be exercised by the people.
“People have right to lawful assembly and lawful protest and we are absolutely not against anybody who wants to exercise their right to freedom of assembly, and express whatever grievances they have in a lawful way.”
This is sequel to the planned nationwide protest by the popular musician, 2face Idibia who is garnering support from supposed millions of like-thinking Nigerians to protest the crippling economic situation in the country come February 6th.
Although the federal government has said it won’t prevent anybody from exercising their rights to peaceful protest and assembly, the Lagos state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni had been quoted to have said the force would prevent the protest from taking place on the pretext that some hoodlums also planned on hijacking the protest to cause mayhem.
Although the police commissioner has equally said the force has dialogued with the organisers of the planned protest and reached an agreement, however, news still making the rounds say the police is pleading with the African Queen crooner to shelve the protest.
But 2face has voiced strongly that the protest must go as planned.
The protest is supposed to coincide with the resumption day of the President who has been in U.K on a 10 days working leave.
Mr President’s leave has sparked controversy ever since his departure from Nigeria for London when rumours got the social media abuzz that he was critically ill and may have even died of the ailment.
These rumours were debunked by the Presidency and even Mr President himself had released a photo of himself watching a news programme about his country from his London room.
As Nigerians eagerly await the return of President Buhari from his leave on Monday, his resumption would be met with the protest against what the organisers of the protest described as the unfavourable economic policies Mr President’s government has implemented which they think have brought the economy to its knees.
The protest is against his supposed economic policies that have not yet saved Nigeria from the sea of recession despite the promises given the people of a better economy during campaigns. The protest is led by the popular musician, 2face Idibia.
Although the planned protest had earlier on met with stiff objection especially from the president’s spokespersons (Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina and from the Specia Assistant on Electronic Media, Mrs. Lauretta Onochie), the Presidency has again assured Nigerians that their rights to peaceful protest and lawful assembly are the business of the government to protect.
The Presidency also said that it is not against any peaceful protest by Nigerians since such is the right given to them by the constitution.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President, Mr Laolu Akande who gave the statement also said that government has no such business as countering protests but rather has the one of protecting them.
He said the Buhari-led government is very much aware of the rights of the people and would always protect them.
“Government is not in the business of countering any protest, particularly, the Buhari Presidency.”
“We are very much aware of the rights of the people and we want to protect the rights of the people, that’s the business of the government. “
Mr. Akande also said that the government is absolutely not against anybody who wants to exercise his or her rights especially those of peaceful protest and assembly because she knows that those rights are for the people and must be exercised by the people.
“People have right to lawful assembly and lawful protest and we are absolutely not against anybody who wants to exercise their right to freedom of assembly, and express whatever grievances they have in a lawful way.”
This is sequel to the planned nationwide protest by the popular musician, 2face Idibia who is garnering support from supposed millions of like-thinking Nigerians to protest the crippling economic situation in the country come February 6th.
Although the federal government has said it won’t prevent anybody from exercising their rights to peaceful protest and assembly, the Lagos state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni had been quoted to have said the force would prevent the protest from taking place on the pretext that some hoodlums also planned on hijacking the protest to cause mayhem.
Although the police commissioner has equally said the force has dialogued with the organisers of the planned protest and reached an agreement, however, news still making the rounds say the police is pleading with the African Queen crooner to shelve the protest.
But 2face has voiced strongly that the protest must go as planned.
The protest is supposed to coincide with the resumption day of the President who has been in U.K on a 10 days working leave.
Mr President’s leave has sparked controversy ever since his departure from Nigeria for London when rumours got the social media abuzz that he was critically ill and may have even died of the ailment.
These rumours were debunked by the Presidency and even Mr President himself had released a photo of himself watching a news programme about his country from his London room.
As Nigerians eagerly await the return of President Buhari from his leave on Monday, his resumption would be met with the protest against what the organisers of the protest described as the unfavourable economic policies Mr President’s government has implemented which they think have brought the economy to its knees.