The convener of the Bring Back Our Girls, BBOG group, Oby Ezekwesili, has reacted to plans by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, to truncate the planned nationwide protest by music icon, Tuface Idibia, against the Buhari-led government.
The nationwide protest, slated for February 6 in the state, has since become a subject of controversy.
Owoseni had vowed to stop the protest, saying the command wasn’t ready for that kind of demonstration and as such would not allow it to hold.
Despite warnings, the Benue State born has vowed to go ahead with his planned nationwide protest against the government.
But responding to the order, the former Minister said the Federal Government or police had no right to repress citizens who have decided to speak out against obnoxious policies.
On her Twitter handle – @obyezeks, she tweeted:
“Please all join in praying for the #IStandWithNigeria Citizens that their march goes well & for the FG that it hears their agitation.
“Citizens and NOT POLITICIANS have decided to activate their #OfficeOfTheCitizens through the #IStandWithNigeria march. DO IT WITH DECORUM.
“As for me, I wish the #IstandwithNigeria Citizens well with their march. Please be ABSOLUTELY CIVIL. Be guided by CORE VALUE of RESPECT.
“WE shall await what FG& @PoliceNG does on the 5th & 6th. One prays that WISDOM will prevail& the #IStandWithNigeria Citizens do their thing.
“CULTURE of Govt insulting, assaulting, denigrating, disparaging maligning, slandering&attacking dissenting voices is CRUDE DEMOCRACY. STOP!
“Let the FG & @PoliceNG desist from ESCALATING TENSION in an already brittle public space. STOP threatening the #IStandWithNigeria Citizens.
“We thought that FG& @PoliceNG learnt something from their failure to STIFLE our @BBOG_Nigeria Citizens’ RIGHT TO PROTEST. #IStandWithNigeria.
“WE all have a DUTY to DEFEND the principles and ethos of Democratic Practice in our country. No authority is greater than CITIZENS. NONE.
“My free counsel to Pres @MBuhari & acting Pres @ProfOsinbajo is YOU CANNOT WIN AGAINST YOUR AGITATED CITIZENS. Call @PoliceNG to order NOW.
“If the FG & @PoliceNG have a shred of honor ®ard for our Constitution, they must RECANT their stance against #IStandWithNigeria protest.
“Citizens can decide to agitate on ANYTHING as long as it is done within their Constitutional RIGHT. No Govt has a RIGHT to REPRESS citizens.
“The greatest TRAGEDY of our current cycle of Democracy is that a Govt which was once in Opposition is now INTOLERANT of citizens’ agitation.”
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