Hundreds of protesters led by the Campaign for Democracy and the coalition of civil society groups today trooped out to protest what they call an affront on the institution of democracy in Nigeria through last Tuesday’s siege on the National Assembly by men of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The protesters chanting solidarity and pro-democracy songs marched through the Obafemi Awolowo Way Ikeja under a heavy downpour, to the Lagos state house of assembly.
Speaking through their leaders, Comrade Olufemi Lawson, of the Campaign for Democracy and Omotaje Saint Jericho, the protesters described the siege on the National Assembly by men of the department of state security service as an attack on democracy and an attempt to force a civilian “coup” on the country and abort the peaceful Democratic institutions in the country. They asserted that the legislature is the only institution in the arms of government that distinguishes a democracy, from other forms of government, as other arms of government are often in existence, even in a military rule.
They further said, that just as in the days of the military rule, the civil society shall do all that is necessary in the interest of the defence of democracy and their protest will spread across the country to forestall any other attempt by any person or persons to challenge the Democratic institutions for selfish partisan reasons.
The group asked acting President Yemi Osinbajo, to immediately constitute a judicial panel, to unravel the masterminds of the siege on the National Assembly and bring whosoever is found culpable to justice, without any delay.
The groups called on all well-meaning Nigerians and lover of democracy to come out and defend our nascent democracy and save it from the anti-Democratic elements that have found themselves in power.