From Fred Itua, Abuja
A clash between anti and pro-Bukola Saraki protesters was averted yesterday by a combined team of the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at the National Assembly complex.
The security operatives had intervened when the pro-Saraki protesters approached the Occupy National Assembly group.
The pro-Saraki protesters were armed with banners and posters with various inscriptions like, “Saraki will not resign”, Saraki will remain senate president”, “Leave Saraki alone”, “APC, save our party, save National Assembly”, and “Stop witch-hunting Saraki”, among others.
Their leader, Mr. Ohazuruike Tochukwu, a lawyer, said they were in the National Assembly to draw the attention of Nigerians to the alleged injustice being perpetrated against the Senate President through the judiciary.
He asked President Muhammadu Buhari administration to address the biting economic hardship across the country, the fuel scarcity and the unemployment crisis within seven days otherwise they will move to the Presidential Villa and occupy it.
“We want to let you know that Nigerians demand execution of campaign promises and not persecution of perceived enemies. We want to let you know that we stand for fairness and justice, autonomy to all arms of government,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Citizens United for Peace and Stability, which had laid siege to the federal parliament since Tuesday had a rough time with security operatives mobilised to chase them away from the National Assembly.
The policemen claimed they acted based on orders from above, a move which the protesters resisted.
Appeal by the Commissioner of Police in charge of FCT, Mr. Wilson Inalegwu, to the protesters to allow the reopening of the main gate, as its continued closure was causing untold hardship for the people, was rebuffed.
Inalegwu noted that it was not only the lawmakers that make use of the National Assembly as there were business owners and their workers, aides of the legislators, staff members and others.
But speaking on behalf of their colleagues, Retson Tedheke, turned down the appeal and said the gate would not be opened until the senators come out to address them.
Tedheke said another reason that would make them support the reopening of the gate is if the National Assembly leadership would allow them to move in and relocate to the open space directly in front of the White House.
Tedheke also caused a stir when he disclosed that one federal lawmaker who had the contact of one of his members called to find out if any of the female protesters could be available for him to sleep with overnight.
“This is the type of situation that we are facing here. How on earth do you want us to abandon this struggle for such a lawmaker? Asking us to allow the reopening of the main gate is like asking us to go back home and we won’t leave till tomorrow (Friday),” he said.