Fayose, Adegboruwa to police: 2face mass protest must hold

Governor of Ekiti State and chairman of the Governors’ Forum of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has knocked the Federal Government and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on alleged move to stop a planned mass protest advocating for good governance and condemning failure of responsible leadership by successive government which is set to be led by world renowned Nigerian musician, Mr. Innocent Idibia, (2Face).
The singer has in the past days rallied the support of his fans via his social media platforms to join his march against the crippling state of the nation.
Idibia’s plan to stage the protest in Lagos on February 6 had been publicly supported by Fayose who reportedly indicated his readiness to be part of the peaceful protest.
Meanwhile, the Lagos police commissioner, Mr Fatai Owoseni, said intelligence report indicates that criminals might hijack the planned 2face’s protest and therefore vowed to stop it.
The police boss said: “We know that Tuface does not have the capacity to contain such a crowd and we will not fold our hands and watch while things go out of hand.”
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka, in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, Fayose said: ” Leadership is about accountability. To be accountable, leaders must listen to public opinion either by civil or peaceful protest. 
“The Court of Appeal’s judgement in ANPP/IGP allows for such protest or gathering without police permit or interference as in advanced democracy. The protest is said to be for and about good governance. So, who is afraid of the protest. Who does the police represent or representing in this issues?
“Nigerians are hungry and angry, our currency is above 500/$.
Nepotism, extra judicial killings, disobedience to court order and human right abuses must stop. The conscience is an open wound and the guilty is afraid.”
Lagos lawyer and activist, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, also supported the rally, saying it must hold.
He said: “I have read reports credited to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police declaring that the rally salted for Lagos on Monday February 6, 2017, will not hold. I consider this to be an attempt to intimidate those who wish to partake in the rally, otherwise it cannot be a message for us veterans and indeed the deprived, oppressed and hungry people of Nigeria.
“For the information of the police commissioner, Nigeria is a democratic country governed strictly in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution. Section 39 of the Constitution grants freedom of expression, including the right to be heard and to disseminate information and ideas. Section 40 grants the right to associate and gather together. Section 38 grants the right to freedom of movement and peaceful assembly. I believe that Mr Fatai Owoseni has a copy of the Constitution, to guide his actions and utterances on this matter, instead of threatening innocent and law abiding citizens, who are responsible for his salary.
“The issue of police permit for citizens to gather freely, expired with the coming into force of the 1999 Constitution and we cannot now go back to the military era of shutting up citizens from legitimate expressions. 
“I, therefore, urge the good people of Nigeria, especially those who reside in Lagos, to join us en mass at Ikeja, for the rally on February 6, 2017. We cannot be intimidated in our own country, by the same people who are paid to protect us.
“This is not a rally by miscreants or thugs as to warrant the fears being expressed by the police commissioner. The statutory duty of the police is to offer us protection on Monday and help to maintain orderliness, throughout the period of the rally. 
“So come rain or shine, we shall hold the rally on Monday, as scheduled, because it is illegal for the police to seek to ban a lawful assembly”.