A group of Civil Society Organizations and individuals came under a coalition, tagged “Occupy Nigeria”, to protest the irregularities in the last general elections across Nigeria. The protest, which held at the popular Unity Fountain in Abuja, drew eminent leaders such as leader of Area Youth, Shetima Yerima, Civil Rights activist Dr. Tanko Yunusa amongst others.
The convener of the group, Comrade Idris Usman, who spoke to reporters on the demands of the group, decried the situation where “card readers were jettisoned in parts of the country while same electoral body cancelled votes of 5million people in other parts of the country in same election and called for cancellation of the entire process for fairness and to reflect the voice of all Nigerians”.
Speaking on their grievances, Co-convener and popular Civil Rights Activist, Comrade Jacob Okpanachi reminded the nation that the outcome of the election was premeditated which informed their earlier “sit-in-protest, at the same venue, when the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen, was unconstitutionally removed a month to elections”. Speaking further Comrade Okpanachi opined that “the election full of oddities did not reflect the true wishes of Nigeria’s voting populace who were beaten, maimed and killed while exercising their franchise”.
Speaking to the gathered crowd and journalists, Shetima Yerima, decried the current situation where “those who opposed the democracy we fought in the trenches for, have come to be the biggest beneficiaries and have effectively set us back on our democratic journey”.
On his part, Civil rights activist and Chairman National Conscience Party, Dr. Tanko Yunusa pointed out that the group was “gathered not for the north, south, east or west, but for a united Nigeria where the wishes of the masses are respected above personal and sectional interests”.
