By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
The leadership of Nigeria’s third most popular political party, Labour Party has frowned at a tweet purportedly from one of the presidential aides, Mr. Bayo Onanuga linking the party, its national leader Peter Obi, and very many notable figures in the party to the proposed ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest.
This rebuttal is contained in a press statement signed by Mr. Obiora Ifoh, National Publicity Secretary of Labour Party and made available to the media on Saturday.
He said there is no truth in that and the tweet is just the author’s figment of his imagination.
The statement read in parts: “The attention of the leadership of the Labour Party has been drawn to a tweet purportedly from one of the presidential aides, Mr. Bayo Onanuga linking the Labour Party, its national leader Peter Obi, and very many notable figures in our party to the proposed ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest.
“We say that there is no truth in that and the tweet is just the author’s figment of his imagination.
“Labour Party is known for being a very peaceful party and it has at several occasions asked its followers to follow peace at all times.
“We are not known as a lawless group as was evident in the aftermath of the last general election.
“It is therefore delusional for anyone to link our supporters to the planned protest. Labour Party, Peter Obi and our supporters are not planning any protests.
However, peaceful protests all over the world are initiated and executed by the people and not by the opposition.
“No opposition has any control over protests. Popular protests such as in Kenya, Egypt and several other places were a direct registration of the people’s frustration against the government. READ ALSO:
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“The people have the right to protest and it is within their constitutional right.
“It is therefore puerile for the government or anyone for that matter to begin to look for who to blame for the bad governance that is being witnessed in Nigeria today.
“Nigeria can still get it right if the right policies are initiated. We also advise that some aides of the presidency must be cautioned to avoid incendiary pronouncements capable of combusting the nation, all in the name of playing politics”.
