….Urges supporters to keep hope alive
From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has flayed the killings of protesters in Edo, Delta, Oyo and Lagos State during the protest against the scarcity of the redesigned currency in the country just as he urges his supporters to keep their hope alive for a better Nigeria.
Obi expressed his sadness in a statement titled “No Slowing Down But Push; A Crown Awaits Your Frown” issued through the Head of National Publicity, Contact and Mobilization Team of the Labour Party’s Presidential Campaign Council (LP-PCC), Comrade Prince Tony Akeni Le Moin and made available to newsmen in Benin City.
Obi said he was deeply pained by the deaths of those Nigerians who lost their lives during the recent protests in various states due to the scarcity of the naira notes, stressing that the time has come for our security personnel to emulate what is done in other climes where rubber bullets or smoke are used to disperse protesters rather than using live bullets.
“I and the entire leadership of the Labour Party, Obidient Big Tent family and well-wishers are deeply saddened by the death of protesting Nigerians who have fallen in such places as Benin City, Edo state, Warri, and Oyo.
“The federal government should minimize response to legitimate protests by re-orienting the police and other security agencies from the use of live bullets to water canons and at worst smoke cannisters as done in civilize democracies of the world”, Obi said.
The LP Presidential Candidate admonished Nigerians to seek for an alternative means of expressing their angers instead of destroying bank facilities, pointing out that destroying those facilities could only compound their woes.
“I call on all Nigerians, especially Labour Party supporters and ObiDients to refrain from unlawful confrontation with the police and other constituted authorities, and not to destroy or damage properties and assets of our banking institutions.
” Instead, as a better alternative cause, Nigerians whose funds are unduly or unreasonably held up and deprived of access to their legitimate monies in various banks for no fault of theirs can constitute themselves into civil society groups for class actions which would in the midterm or long run guarantee peaceful and profitable outcomes.
“Such actions, which are bound to succeed under the gavel of reasonable civil courts, would further deepen our government-citizen crises engagement mechanisms and civil justice attainment doors instead of risking lives and limb in violent protests which would only lead to cold bodies and mourning families”, Obi added.
On the count down to the elections, Obi charges his supporters across the 36 states not to relent in pushing for his victory at the poll and for every other candidates of the party noting that if they keep pushing, the victory they long yearn for, will be attained.
Now that we have come this far – against all odds, obstacles and countless negative omens the opponents and their skewed systems put on our way – I earnestly urge and implore everyone of you, beginning with our Labour Party leaders at all levels, from national, state, local government to ward levels, Big Tent leadership and ObiDient support groups, financial contributors and independent donors not to relent. “We are so close to the finishing tape”, Obi said.