Give us National stadium or we’ll converge on Lekki Toll Gate, 3rd Force tells FG, Lagos Govt

By Chukwudi Nweje

The Central Planning Committee of the #Obidatti23 Forward Ever Rally has said that the group would converge at the Lekki Toll Gate if the Federal Government does not make the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos available for the Lagos 5-million-man-march / rally.

In a statement Friday, Olawale Okunniyi, Director General of the National Consultative Front (NCFront) / 3rd Force Movement noted that the group has made an appeal to the Minister of Youths and Sports Development to authorise the use of the stadium which was not responded to.

He asked the Lagos State Government to wade in and secure the stadium for its use or they would be forced to gather at the Lekki Toll Gate or any other venue that is of strategic historic venues.

He said, “Please be notified that the Central Planning Committee of the Lagos 5 million-man-march/mega rally has just alerted the leadership of the 3rd Force Movement that in the event that the APC Government in Lagos State refuses to approve the use of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos for the peaceful Obi-dient Independence march/rally holding on Saturday, October 1, 2022, the Organisers may not be able to stop Nigerians from making use of strategic historic venue like Lekki Toll Gate, and Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park against all odds.

“Leaders of the 3rd Force Movement have tried to intervene in this matter but the Federal Ministry of Sports under Mr. Sunday Dare is yet to act positively. So, all well-meaning Nigerians are implored to appeal to the Sport Minister to immediately bow to wisdom and allow the peaceful independence rally of Obi-dient Nigerians hold at the car park of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos as requested by the Organisers to avoid unintended jam in Lagos tomorrow.”

Okunniyi assured Nigerians and the general public that the proposed march / mega rally would be very peaceful and orderly and warned the government against employing any tacit to instigate confusion.

He further said, “We as leaders of conscience in the Nigerian Civil Society and as Vanguard and  Veterans of the assembly of the Nigerian peoples and masses, hereby wish to assure the Nigerian public that the Lagos independence march and the mega rally is planned to be very peaceful and orderly all things being equal, so government should avoid tacit instigation of confusion. The Organisers has assured us that the historic March and Mega Rally will hold as scheduled and announced tomorrow, commencing from 7am and we expect all Obi-dient citizens of Nigeria to turn out in large numbers.”

He noted that the group would release details about the itinerary and schedule of the march and rally later Friday.