#OccupyNASS: Why I brought my first son to protest ground — Amaechi

Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has explained why he brought his first son to the protest ground in Abuja, as demonstrators demanded real-time transmission of election results.

Amaechi joined Nigerian youths on Tuesday at the “Occupy National Assembly” protest, which was organised in response to the Senate’s rejection of mandatory e-transmission of election results.

Speaking at the venue, the former governor said his decision was meant to counter claims that politicians encourage protests while their children remain abroad.

He said, “I always told them that when there is a protest, all of us should come out. There were those who said that we politicians want protests and our children are overseas. Here is my first son, I brought him to join the protest as my first son. He is a medical doctor. His job is if there is an injury to treat the injured ones. If they want us to protest, we are here but we need to mobilize much more than this.”

The protest also attracted other notable political figures, including former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, who joined the demonstration on Monday.