SNG calls off victory rally.
The Save Nigeria Group has shelved its planned victory rally billed for today at the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos.
The group’s stance came 24 hours after some eminent Nigerian protesters were dispersed with teargas by policemen in Lagos.
Spokespersons for the group, Yinka Odumakin, said the security situation in the country necessitated the action.
He said Friday’s bomb blasts in Kano were part of the reasons for calling off the rally.
He claimed that an intelligence report had shown that the government planned to infiltrate the planned rally with miscreants to cause trouble and discredit the whole exercise.
He, however, promised that the group would soon come up with another date for the victory rally.
The convener, SNG, Pastor Tunde Bakare, had said at a briefing on Wednesday that the rally was the group’s way of saying ‘thank you’ to Nigerians, who participated in the protests.
The SNG was part of the coalition of civil society groups that championed the five-day carnival-like protests, rated by observers as the most peaceful rally in Nigeria despite the large crowd.
More military personnel had been sent to the Gani Fawehinmi Park to prevent any of such gatherings.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Thursday paid sympathy visits to Prof. Ben Nwabueze and Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, who were among other Nigerians on a peaceful walk on Thursday to protest the military presence on Lagos streets.
The protesters were dispersed by policemen, who fired canisters of teargas at them on their way to the Gani Fawehinmi Park.
Fashola sympathised with Nwabueze, a 79-year-old legal scholar, saying Nigerians could not live in a country where their right to free speech and liberty would be met with suppression.
In a statement by the governor’s Special Adviser, Media,Hakeem Bello, Fashola said his visit was to ensure that Nwabueze was in good health and to clarify any mix-up. “I am saddened by all this,” he said.
Nwabueze appreciated the governor and explained that the agenda of his group was to put Nigeria on the path of revival.
He said the most fundamental issue in the country at the moment was not only fuel subsidy removal, but the creation of a new Nigeria.
“We are hoping and praying to God to save this country. We are not out to break up Nigeria. This country must be kept together and that is the salvation for all of us,” he said.
At Braithwaite’s residence, Fashola expressed dismay at what he described as an unfortunate development.
He said, “We thought we had seen the last of these.”
In his response, Braithwaite said, “As far as I am concerned, you are the only governor in Nigeria and as we lawyers say, the evidence speaks for itself.
The Save Nigeria Group has shelved its planned victory rally billed for today at the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos.
The group’s stance came 24 hours after some eminent Nigerian protesters were dispersed with teargas by policemen in Lagos.
Spokespersons for the group, Yinka Odumakin, said the security situation in the country necessitated the action.
He said Friday’s bomb blasts in Kano were part of the reasons for calling off the rally.
He claimed that an intelligence report had shown that the government planned to infiltrate the planned rally with miscreants to cause trouble and discredit the whole exercise.
He, however, promised that the group would soon come up with another date for the victory rally.
The convener, SNG, Pastor Tunde Bakare, had said at a briefing on Wednesday that the rally was the group’s way of saying ‘thank you’ to Nigerians, who participated in the protests.
The SNG was part of the coalition of civil society groups that championed the five-day carnival-like protests, rated by observers as the most peaceful rally in Nigeria despite the large crowd.
More military personnel had been sent to the Gani Fawehinmi Park to prevent any of such gatherings.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Thursday paid sympathy visits to Prof. Ben Nwabueze and Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, who were among other Nigerians on a peaceful walk on Thursday to protest the military presence on Lagos streets.
The protesters were dispersed by policemen, who fired canisters of teargas at them on their way to the Gani Fawehinmi Park.
Fashola sympathised with Nwabueze, a 79-year-old legal scholar, saying Nigerians could not live in a country where their right to free speech and liberty would be met with suppression.
In a statement by the governor’s Special Adviser, Media,Hakeem Bello, Fashola said his visit was to ensure that Nwabueze was in good health and to clarify any mix-up. “I am saddened by all this,” he said.
Nwabueze appreciated the governor and explained that the agenda of his group was to put Nigeria on the path of revival.
He said the most fundamental issue in the country at the moment was not only fuel subsidy removal, but the creation of a new Nigeria.
“We are hoping and praying to God to save this country. We are not out to break up Nigeria. This country must be kept together and that is the salvation for all of us,” he said.
At Braithwaite’s residence, Fashola expressed dismay at what he described as an unfortunate development.
He said, “We thought we had seen the last of these.”
In his response, Braithwaite said, “As far as I am concerned, you are the only governor in Nigeria and as we lawyers say, the evidence speaks for itself.
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