More persons join anti-Buhari protests in Abuja

Members of the Coalition for Good Governance and Change Initiative seeking quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja… yesterday. PHOTO: LUCY LADIDI ELUKPO

More protesters yesterday joined in the calls for President Muhammadu Buhari’s resignation in Abuja, over his health status.The protesters grounded activities at some parts of the Three Arms Zone and the Central Business District (CBD).

According to the people, the over 94 days absence of Buhari in the country is a sign that he can no longer continue to rule the country.The #ResumeorResign campaign by a coalition of civil society activists, under the aegis of Our-Mumu-Don-Do Movement “Concerned Nigerians”, was the first to stage the protest at the popular Unity Fountain, in Maitama, Abuja.

The coalition urged the president to resign, adding that he once asked the late President Musa Yar’Adua to resign or be impeached in 2010 when he was also sick. The groups are demanding that the president demonstrates his integrity and take the path of honour by resigning from office.

Deji Adeyanju, who convened the pretest, said Buhari ought to have resigned after spending over one month outside the country on medical leave.A president that has been sick for 94 days would resign if he has integrity. Posterity would be unkind to all those who visited Buhari, but failed to advise him to do the right thing because of selfish reasons,” Deji added.

The #ResumeorResign protest which has been holding since the beginning of the week is being led by entertainment icon, Charles Oputa, popularly called Charley Boy, had, since Tuesday been joined by members of the #BringBackOurGirls group and some notable Nollywood actors.

While the police had dispatched the Oputa’s group, a pro-Buhari group, Coalition for Good Governance Initiative and Change, yesterday marched with banners in praise of the anti-corruption fight of the Buhari administration. 
 
The group, whose placards and banners read: “Let’s kill corruption now or corruption would kill us,” and “Nigerians endorse Buhari’s anti-corruption war,” marched to the villa with the protection of the police.
 
Another pro-Buhari group, Centre for Civil Society and Justice (CCSJ) at the Unity Fountain, joined them. The group’s convener, Goodluck Obi told newsmen that the economic hardship in the country is tied to the anti-corruption fight of the president.

Meanwhile, another group, Office of the Citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria said Buhari’s continued absence was a bad signal to democracy. Pelumi Olajengbesi , who spoke on behalf of the group said tthe continued absence of the president on the basis of ill-health was a major blow to democracy. 

In Enugu, the state chapter of the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) faulted the anti-Buhari.They urged the protesters to address their demands to the National Assembly because Buhari fulfilled the constitutional requirements before embarking on the medical trip.