Protesters who trooped out in their hundreds on Saturday in Edo State to mark the June 12 Democracy Day, used the opportunity to slam President Muhammadu Buhari for his inability to provide good leadership and governance in the last six years of his administration.
This was just as the called on the Buhari-led Federal Government to provide adequate security, noting that the ineptitude of the president had brought Nigeria to its knees.
The protesters who began their match at Ring Road in Benin were provided security cover by the men of the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Vigilante group, who accompanied them to the Government House, where they were received by the Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu.
One of the leaders, Kola Edokpayi, of the Talakawa Assembly, who spoke on behalf of members of seven other civil right groups that formed the protest, lamented that the nonchalant attitude of the President towards the security of lives and property had brought the country to the present unacceptable situation.
He also called on the Edo State Government to ensure that the 14 members-elect of the House of Assembly were given the opportunity to represent their constituencies instead of being shut out of the system.
“The ineptitude of President Buhari has brought us to this sorry state. His nonchalant attitude has caused a lot of security problems. It has been difficult to combat Boko Haram, bandits and kidnappers. Nigerians now live in fear and nobody knows what will happen next”, he bemoaned.
According to him, “What we now hear is ‘unknown gunmen’ who are killing people in the South East, while other parts of the country are becoming unsafe to live in because of insecurity. The prices of good and services are moving up daily beyond the reach of the common man.
“In Edo State, the Benin/Auchi Road is still unsafe despite the effort of the state government, while we still have 14 elected lawmakers who are being shut out of the House of Assembly. This is not good for democracy.”
The deputy governor commended the protesters for conducting themselves peacefully and promised that all their grievances would be channelled to the right quarters.
On the 14 lawmakers, they said: “We did everything possible to have them in the House but they decided to follow a godfather who misleads them. Even with a month to when their seats would be declared vacant, we urged them to join the Assembly but they were asking for a second proclamation.”
“They also went to court and that had stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from conducting a fresh election. The INEC has said no new election can be conducted until the cases are decided. So we have to wait for the courts before the next move can be made.”
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents
In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…Edo protesters slam Buhari Edo protesters slam Buhari
Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train
The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…Edo protesters slam Buhari Edo protesters slam Buhari
and then