Rivers Crisis: Activists warn politicians against truncating nation’s democracy

By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE
CIVIL Society groups under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society,
CCS, Tuesday stormed the office of Lagos State governor, Mr Babatunde
Fashola to register their displeasure over the political crisis in
Rivers State.
They also warned political jobbers in the country against truncating
the nation's democracy.
Speaking during the protest, the coordinator of Coalition of Civil
Societies, Comrade Raji Rasheed stated that the protest was about
democracy and Nigeria, saying "we arenot happy with the show of shame
in Rivers State. In 1966, people said such issue was a party one and
at the end ofthe day military took over. So we do not want such thing
to repeat itself. So all of us must come together and call them to
order. We cannot just fold our hand and look."
He said that the rally was organised to protect the nation's
democracy, notingthat "we want to warn those in power to be careful
and to sensitize Nigerianson the need for active participation in the
polity".
A coalition of civil society groups during the protest in Lagos
The CCS Coordinator decried the developments in Rivers state urging
those concerned to call themselves to order in the interest of peace.
He seized the opportunity to advice the National Assembly to vote for
local government autonomy and vote against the immunity clause in the
on-going efforts to amend the 1999 Constitution.
Also speaking, the Coordinator of Concerned Human Rights Nigeria,
Comrade Declan Ihekaire said the protest was against anti-democratic
elements in the country and the need to protect the nation's
democracy.
Ihekaire said "we are saying no to those who want to truncate the
democracy that we fought for. We are saying that whoever that are
causing the trouble should be called to order. President Goodluck
Jonathan should also call his wife to order, women make issues bigger
than it should be. We are saying that the President's wife should be
quiet in this matter."
He said the crisis in Rivers State was capable of crippling the
nation's democracy adding that most of the actors involved never
fought for democracy.
On his part, the Executive Director of Centre for Rights and
Grassroots Initiative, Mr Nelson Ekujumi, said the protest was " to
express our displeasure and to pass a message to the National
Assembly, that we won't fold our hands and watch any of our elected
officers truncate our democracy because the Nigerians sacrificed their
blood, sweat and everything they have to bring about this democracy.
Today, we have seen that the beneficiaries of our democracy are our
elected officers andnot the people, which is why they are treating us
with disdain. We are here to say 'NO'."
The protest walk tagged "Save our Democracy", which kicked off from
the testing ground bus stop on Agidimgbi road Ikeja, terminated at the
Governor's office in Alausa.
Governor Babatunde Fashola, represented by his Chief of Staff , Mr
Lanre Babalola, assured the protesters of prompt delivery of their
message to the appropriate authorities.
We're not happy with show of shame in Rivers
*Warn politicians against truncating democracy
By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE
CIVIL Society groups under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society,
CCS, yesterday stormed the office of Lagos State governor, Mr
Babatunde Fasholato register their displeasure over the political
crisis inRivers State.
They also warned political jobbers in the country against truncating
the nation's democracy.
Speaking during the protest, the coordinator of Coalition of Civil
Societies, Comrade Raji Rasheed stated that the protest was about
democracy and Nigeria, saying "we arenot happy with the show of shame
in Rivers State. In 1966, people said such issue was a party one and
at the end ofthe day military took over. So we do not want such thing
to repeat itself. So all of us must come together and call them to
order. We cannot just fold our hand and look."
Also, coordinator of Concerned Human Rights Nigeria, Comrade Declan
Ihekaire said the protest was against anti-democratic elements in the
country and the need to protect the nation's democracy.
Ihekaire said "we are saying no to those who want to truncate the
democracy that we fought for. We are saying that whoever that are
causing the trouble should be called to order. President Goodluck
Jonathan should also call his wife to order, women make issues bigger
than it should be. We are saying that the President's wife should be
quiet in this matter."
He said the crisis in Rivers State was capable of crippling the
nation's democracy adding that most of the actors involved never
fought for democracy.On his part, Executive Director of Centre for
Rights and Grassroots Initiative, Mr Nelson Ekujumi, said "thisprotest
is about the state of our democracy. We cannot fold our hands and
watch the Presidency truncate the democracy we have all laboured for.
We saw it start at the Governor's Forum when President Goodluck
Jonathan, who claims to have a doctorate degree, telling the Nigeria
people that 16 is greater 19. So we wonder what type of school he went
to. In arithmetic, we know that 19 is greater than 16. And he has
translated this level of impunity to Rivers State, with the current
show of shame going in the state."
He added that "we are today to express our displeasure and to pass a
message to the National Assembly, that we won't fold our hands and
watch any of our elected officers truncate our democracy because the
Nigeria sacrificed their blood, sweat and everything they have to
bring about this democracy. Today, we have seen that the beneficiaries
of our democracy are our elected officers andnot the people, which is
why they are treating us with disdain. We are here to say NO."
In the same vein, the protest walk tagged"Save our Democracy",which
kicked off from the testing ground bus stop on Agidimgbi road Ikeja,
terminated at the Governor's office in Alausa.
Coordinator of the Group, Mr Raji-Rasheed Oyewumi said that the
protest rally was all about protecting the nation's democracy.
Oyewumi stated that "we want to warn those in power to be careful and
to sensitize Nigerians on the need for active participation in the
polity".
He said that Nigeria needed a democracy that would benefit all and not a few.
The CCS Coordinator decried the developments in the Rivers House of
Assembly urging those concerned to call themselves to order in the
interestof peace of the nation.
Oyewumi seized the opportunity to advice the National Assembly to vote
for local government autonomy in the on-going vote on amended portions
ofthe 1999 constitution.
He also urged the Lawmakers to vote against the immunity clause
insisting that it would make the nation's leaders sit up.
Chief of Staff to governor Fashola, Mr Lanre Babalola who received the
protesters on behalf of the governor, said that he would extend the
issue forwhich the were protesting to the governor.