….. Politicians who lost 2015 Elections are behind the protest – Presidency
The Nigeria Labour Congress, the newly formed United Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have declared support for the planned protests and the right of the citizens to hold peaceful rallies.
The General Secretary of the NLC, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, said that all citizens have the right to peaceful protest and that it does not require approval from the government.
The NLC’s scribe said, “Citizens have the right to protest. This right is not contingent on the approval of government or the police.
“This is settled and has been upheld by a Supreme Court ruling. We stand by the fundamental rights of citizens to peacefully protest.”
Speaking also, the President, ULC, Mr. Joe Ajaero, noted that it would be impossible for the government to outlaw protests.
Ajaero, who is also the General Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Electricity Employees, said any attempt to arrest protesters would only make them more popular.
“No one can outlaw protests. Every Nigerian has the right to protest on issues he is not comfortable with. If you persecute protesters, you popularise and legitimise them,” he said.
President, TUC, Mr. Bala Kaigama, also said that Nigerians have the right to hold peaceful protests.
“Every Nigerian has the fundamental human right to hold whatever protest they want; there is freedom of association and assembly,” he said.
The United Kingdom has also declared support for the planned rallies, describing protests as part of the democratic system when conducted in an orderly manner.
It, therefore, admonished those participating in the rallies to be peaceful and orderly.
“The UK recognises that protests are part of the democratic system when conducted in an orderly manner. Those taking part in an orderly and peaceful protest should not be prevented from doing so provided the protest was organised lawfully,” Joe Abuku, Press and Public Affairs Officer, British High Commission, said in a comment on the planned protests.
He added, “We urge anyone intending to protest to do so peacefully.”
Reacting to the criticisms against attempts by the police to stop the planned protests, Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, on Friday said politicians who lost out in the 2015 general elections were behind the move.
Adesina spoke on a radio programme monitored in Ibadan, where he also said that although protest was legitimate in a democratic society, the police had the right to stop it.
Adesina said, “In a democracy, protests are legitimate, also, the security agencies have the right to ensure that they do not degenerate. The President is not home now. In Nigeria today, you have a large number of people who seem not to forget that the 2015 elections have gone and have been won. The other group is the group that will always complain, even if angels come to rule Nigeria.
“Then you have people who believe in free money, there is no more free money, those people will also join the protest. Genuinely concerned people have ways to protest. There are millions of people who are with the President, and I believe that the people who are with the President are more than those who are not with him.”