True to their vow, members of #OurMumuDonDo this morning dared the police by resuming their protest at Unity Fountain in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja. The group, led by activist and entertainer Charles Oputa a.k.a Charly Boy, is demanding that ailing President Muhammadu Buhari, who has spent over three months in London, should return home and resume work or resign.
The protest started on Monday but was disrupted yesterday by policemen, who fired tear gas and water cannon into the crowd. Charly Boy, who fainted during the attack, alleged that a policeman hit him with his gun.
A defiant #OurMumuDonDo vowed after the attack that the protest would continue. It also lashed out at the Senate for condemning the protest, describing the upper legislative house as a monumental failure for allegedly failing to live up to its constitutional responsibility of asking necessary questions on the whereabouts of the country’s President.
Mr. Oputa, while taking a swipe at the Senate’s position, which he termed “outright ridiculous”, said that it has once again demonstrated that it is nothing but a mere rubber stamp of the executive arm of government.
He added that the Senate’s decision to throw its weight behind Buhari despite the hardship faced by Nigerians owing to poor governance caused by the President’s absence is a desperate attempt at patronising the Presidency.
He said: “I am disappointed in this country. But let it be known that no amount of intimidation on us by security agencies will deter us from demanding explanations from government. They must be accountable to Nigerians because they were elected into power by us, and on the basis that they will account for their actions. We are tired of the back and forth stories from the Presidency on Buhari’s whereabouts.
“Also, to compound the mess Nigerians are in, it is disheartening for the Senate that ought to ask questions to be the very ones supporting such show of shame. Indeed, the feeling out here based on their position is that they are nothing but Buhari’s errand boys. I guess the Senate is desperate to please the President. They have failed Nigerians when most needed.”
Mr. Oputa called on Nigerians to speak up by asking for the President’s whereabouts, adding that not doing so could lead to the country’s undoing especially against the backdrop of heightening secessionist agitations presently threatening the unity of the country.
