Protesters demand Saraki's resignation
Wed Apr 27, 2016 08:59:am Politics
2.5K By sosa hills
A coalition of Civil Society Organisations under the aegis of Citizens United for Peace and Stability, on Tuesday staged the first phase of its four-day protest at the National Assembly (NASS) Complex in Abuja, demanding the resignation of the Senate President Bukola Saraki.
The protesters, who also operates under #OccupyNASS# is led by one Sadiq Ddja. They carried placards with various inscriptions and insisted that Saraki must vacate his seat because of the myriad of corruption cases leveled against him, both within and outside the country.
They also condemned the purchase of exotic cars for the senators at exorbitant prices and asked the lawmakers to return them.
The protesters marched from the Unity Fountain in the Central Area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the National Assembly, a distance of about two
kilometres and forced their way to the main gate, defying the sentry mounted by the regular and anti-riot police officers.
Chanting, "We must enter", the protesters carried placards that read:" Legislators stop budget padding", "Return exotic cars, "Saraki must go", "Enough is enough," among others.
Around 6.20pm, canopies, mats, kettles, bags of sachet water, two power generators and a public address system were seen at the arena of the protest.
The protesters kept themselves busy with the songs of late Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Some of them wore T-shirts with the inscription of, "Citizens United for peace and stability (CUPS), Occupy NASS".
The youths thereafter shut the main gate and prevented staff members, lawmakers and visitors from either entering or leaving the premises.
They vowed to seal off the National Assembly for the four days and thereafter take further actions if their demands were not met.
Reacting to the demands of the angry-looking youths, Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, said their action was a dangerous precedence which should be condemned by all well meaning Nigerians.
Ndume argued that it was not the constitutional right of any Nigerian other than the constituents of any lawmaker to decide his or her resignation and wondered why the protesters would be asking Saraki to resign from his office.
Reminiscent of the January 2012 anti fuel subsidy removal protests in Lagos, members of the group spotting T- shirts boldly written #OCCUPYNASS# told pressmen that they were ready to stage the protest until the lawmakers acceded to their demands which include stoppage of the constituency projects.
The group, as a show of their preparedness to remain in the National Assembly brought in mobile toilets and clothes, also, canopies were being erected in front of the gate leading into the National Assembly while plastic chairs were brought in a mini truck.
One of the leaders of the protesters, Garba Wala, said they were calling on the lawmakers to pass the 2016 Budget, even as they expressed their support for the ant-corruption fight by the present administration.
He said the group is uncomfortable with what he termed the lack of support by the lawmakers for the efforts by President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle the problems facing the country.
He denied that the group was targeting Saraki, saying they are in support of his trial by the CCT.
Some of the protesters who spoke to newsmen said they were promised N2,000 each by people who brought them from different locations in the FCT.
The protesters, who also operates under #OccupyNASS# is led by one Sadiq Ddja. They carried placards with various inscriptions and insisted that Saraki must vacate his seat because of the myriad of corruption cases leveled against him, both within and outside the country.
They also condemned the purchase of exotic cars for the senators at exorbitant prices and asked the lawmakers to return them.
The protesters marched from the Unity Fountain in the Central Area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the National Assembly, a distance of about two
kilometres and forced their way to the main gate, defying the sentry mounted by the regular and anti-riot police officers.
Chanting, "We must enter", the protesters carried placards that read:" Legislators stop budget padding", "Return exotic cars, "Saraki must go", "Enough is enough," among others.
Around 6.20pm, canopies, mats, kettles, bags of sachet water, two power generators and a public address system were seen at the arena of the protest.
The protesters kept themselves busy with the songs of late Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Some of them wore T-shirts with the inscription of, "Citizens United for peace and stability (CUPS), Occupy NASS".
The youths thereafter shut the main gate and prevented staff members, lawmakers and visitors from either entering or leaving the premises.
They vowed to seal off the National Assembly for the four days and thereafter take further actions if their demands were not met.
Reacting to the demands of the angry-looking youths, Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, said their action was a dangerous precedence which should be condemned by all well meaning Nigerians.
Ndume argued that it was not the constitutional right of any Nigerian other than the constituents of any lawmaker to decide his or her resignation and wondered why the protesters would be asking Saraki to resign from his office.
Reminiscent of the January 2012 anti fuel subsidy removal protests in Lagos, members of the group spotting T- shirts boldly written #OCCUPYNASS# told pressmen that they were ready to stage the protest until the lawmakers acceded to their demands which include stoppage of the constituency projects.
The group, as a show of their preparedness to remain in the National Assembly brought in mobile toilets and clothes, also, canopies were being erected in front of the gate leading into the National Assembly while plastic chairs were brought in a mini truck.
One of the leaders of the protesters, Garba Wala, said they were calling on the lawmakers to pass the 2016 Budget, even as they expressed their support for the ant-corruption fight by the present administration.
He said the group is uncomfortable with what he termed the lack of support by the lawmakers for the efforts by President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle the problems facing the country.
He denied that the group was targeting Saraki, saying they are in support of his trial by the CCT.
Some of the protesters who spoke to newsmen said they were promised N2,000 each by people who brought them from different locations in the FCT.
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