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| #ResumeOrResign protesters |
The daily rally by
#ResumeOrResign group convened by Charles Oputa, popularly called Charly Boy,
was on Friday disrupted by members of a group sympathetic to President
Muhammadu Buhari.
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Pro-Buhari
protesters
|
Mr.
Oputa’s group had started its rally on Monday to protest the prolonged medical
vacation of the president in London.
It
said it would hold the rally until the 100th day of the president’s departure
from the country. Mr. Buhari left Nigeria 95 days ago.
Less
than 20 members of the group had gathered at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, for the
fifth day of the rally until the venue was intruded by members of the other
group rallying in support of the anti-corruption fight of the president.
Dozens
of youth in the pro-Buhari group stormed the venue chanting ‘Sai Baba Sai
Baba’, forcing members of the Charly Boy-led group to beat a hurried retreat
from the premises.
Security
operatives however intervened quickly to avert a violent clash of the two
groups.
The
convener of the pro-Buhari group, Goodluck Obi, was also seen yelling at the
members of his group to avoid confrontation.
Mr.
Obi said their gathering was to support the anti-corruption policy of President
Buhari and also to disabuse the minds of Nigerians of the impressions being
created by the”Resume or Resign” group.
He
said the call for the resignation of the president was unnecessary.
“We
want to let people know that it is not only illegal, unconstitutional and to no
effect, it is also null and void. The constitution does not support it,” Mr.
Obi said.
“Section
141 of the Nigerian Constitution, which is the most respected document of the
country, supports the fact that if the president is traveling and he perceives
that he would be away for long, he should transmit his powers to the vice
president, which is exactly what our honorable president has done.
“Prof.
Osinbanjo, in his capacity as the Acting President, is doing well. We also want
to use this opportunity to warn Nigerians, lest some few elements destroy the
democracy we have built for so long.
“Buhari
is a man of honor, he’s a man of valor, and he’s a man of integrity. He has all
it takes to be the president and we are standing by him,” Mr. Obi added as he
addressed journalists observing the drama.
Deji
Adeyanju, one of the conveners of the #ResumeOrResign group, however countered
that his group would not relent until the presidency discloses the medical
status of President Buhari.
president
has been away from Nigeria on medical tourism,” Mr. Adeyanju said.
“President
is undergoing chemotherapy in the UK, like it is reported in the media.
“They
must come clean. We are not interested in any distraction. We are not even
interested in engaging them in back and forward argument. We are interested
with just the issues.
“Are
the reports true that the president has cancer, and that he is undergoing
chemotherapy, that that’s why he cannot return?” Mr. Adeyanju said in a press
statement he later issued.
“The
Presidency must give Nigerians full disclosure on the health statue of our
president. The president is not above the Nigerian people.
“We are not distracted by a government that says it is fighting corruption and it is hiring crowd to protest. We are not distracted.”
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