Anti-government protests and counter-rallies to drum up support for President Bola Tinubu in Abuja and six states held on Thursday as the country celebrated Democracy Day, The PUNCH reports.
In Abuja, the Take It Back movement protesters’ plan to storm the National Assembly failed as heavy security deployment prevented access to the complex where President Tinubu addressed a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives as part of activities marking Democracy Day.
The security at the National Assembly was reinforced with iron barricades and a long truck, effectively blocking access to the premises.
In addition, security agencies deployed heavily armed personnel to strategic locations across the city.
The operatives were particularly visible at Berger Roundabout, Dantata Bridge, Secretariat, Utako Market, and the National Assembly, all potential gathering points for the protesters.
Despite the heavy security, the organisers defied the situation and held their protest in the Apo area of Abuja, where demonstrators were seen chanting solidarity songs and waving placards to express their grievances.
However, the protest was short-lived and ended shortly after it began.
In contrast, the pro-Tinubu protesters were allowed to move freely close to the National Assembly. Some arrived in a large convoy of tricycles, blaring music in praise of the President.
Speaking to our correspondent on why the protest did not hold in the heart of the FCT, the TIB coordinator, Rex Elenu, said the security agents were after them.
“We were on the run. They never allowed us to gather,” he said.
Also speaking, the TIB Director of Mobilisation in the FCT, Michael Adenola, accused the government and security agencies of double standards.
He alleged that the Tinubu administration was intolerant of criticisms.
He said, “The stark contrast is telling. While pro-government protesters were allowed to freely assemble and express themselves today, we know the harsh reality faced by those who dare to dissent. The Tinubu government’s intolerance for criticism and opposition is well-documented, often resorting to violent dispersal and repression.
“This selective treatment of protesters highlights the administration’s bias and disregard for citizens’ constitutional rights to hold critical opinions. We condemn this double standard and reaffirm our commitment to holding those in power accountable, even if we must do so in isolation.”
Also in Abuja, the leaders of the National Association of Nigerian Students and the National Association of Polytechnic Students staged a solidarity march in support of the President, whom they said prioritised investment in Nigeria’s education sector.
Speaking during the march, NAPS president, Oghayn Eshiofune, said the solidarity rally was not a protest but a demonstration of gratitude to the Tinubu-led administration, declaring that no other President since the onset of democracy in Nigeria had invested hugely in education.
He listed various policy interventions, including the establishment of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund and the approval of a N45,000 monthly stipend for students of technical colleges, as key indicators of the administration’s commitment to human capital development.
“The students are gathered here today to appreciate Mr President. We are here to thank Mr President for his investments in education. It is worth noting that since the inception of democracy, he is the only President who has invested much in education.
“We are proud of him, and that is why we are here today to say ‘adupe’ Mr President for your investment. It is not a protest but a gathering of appreciation,” he said.
Eshiofune, however, urged the President to convert the National Board for Technical Education to a Commission, noting that the Polytechnics deserved a Commission, as opposed to a board.
He also prayed that the President upgrade the status of the Higher National Diploma degree to a Bachelor of Technology degree.
The President of NANS, Olusola Ladoja, commended the President for what he described as “unprecedented strides” in the education sector, citing the N3tn allocation to education in the 2024 budget.
Ladoja said, “We are here today to congratulate President Tinubu on his second anniversary and to say thank you for what he has been doing in the education sector, for the provision of NELFUND to Nigerian students. In Nigeria today, there is no need for any student to drop out of school because of tuition fees.
“Secondly, this is the first time in the history of Nigeria since democracy that we have a smooth education system. When your course is four years, you can be guaranteed that you will graduate in four years’ time because for the past two years, there has been no strike anywhere in this country.
“Also, for his immense contribution and the way he gave the highest budgetary allocation to the education sector. For the first time, we are having about N3tn in the education sector. So, we are here to say thank you and to urge him to continue to help the education sector.”
The President’s Senior Special Adviser on Students’ Engagement, Sunday Ashefon, described the students as “heroes of June 12”, pledging that his office would continue to serve as a bridge between students and the Presidency, ensuring that students’ welfare and concerns are addressed.
“It is a solidarity rally by the students for their father, who is the President, the father of the nation. Indeed, the NAPS and the President of NANS have said it. As an SSA to the President, I think it is the right of the students to attest to what the President has done so far, which they have done well. All I want to say again to them, and I should also send the message of the President to them, and the Nigerians in this country, that Mr President appreciates your patience,” he stated.
Lagos
In Lagos, protesters trooped out in their numbers during the Democracy Day celebrations.
The PUNCH reports that members of the Take It Back Movement and End Bad Governance Movement gathered under the bridge in Ikeja and in the Maryland area of Lagos.
TheY held placards bearing several inscriptions like ‘Compensate victims of Oworonshoki demolition,’ ‘Reverse fuel subsidy removal,’ ‘Repeal the Cybercrime Act,’ and ‘End Insecurity’ among others.
While speaking at Maryland, the National Coordinator of TIB, Juwon Sanyaolu, alleged that President Tinubu’s administration had been marred by spates of economic hardship, insecurity and human rights violations.
“They said today is Democracy Day, but it does not feel like Democracy Day. Over the last two years, we have experienced complete breakdown of democratic governance,” he said.
“The constitution says security and welfare shall be the responsibility of government. Those are the basic indices of government performance, so when both of those things are out of place, what we have is not governance but anarchy. This is what we have experienced over the last two years in terms of security and welfare. Today, no part of Nigeria is safe. In the Middle Belt, particularly in Plateau and Benue states, there is insurgence.”
The protesters demanded the reversal of fuel subsidy removal, repeal of the Cybercrime Act and end to insecurity.
Another protester, Adekunle Ajayi, said Nigeria was under civilian dictatorship, and demanded access to quality and affordable education for students.
“Democracy also means access to knowledge and education without restriction. Restriction has been placed on education when students are asked to take loans in an economy where means of loan servicing is not guaranteed due to the unemployment rate in the country. Government must provide grants for students instead of loan. The ruling class must cut their bogus expenses and allow the masses to enjoy the dividends of democracy,” Ajayi said.
The protests in Lagos also witnessed presence of security agencies like the police and the NSCDC.
Osun
In Osogbo, Osun State, rights activists and a large number of students on Thursday stormed the streets to commemorate the 32nd anniversary of the annulment of the June 12 presidential election won by the Late Moshood Abiola.
Dressed in T-shirts designed in green and white national colours, the protesters, who used the opportunity to demand good governance, were also joined by market women in the three-kilometre walk from Ayetoro area to Olaiya junction, Osogbo, where they eventually dispersed.
During the protest, there was a traffic gridlock along Ayetoro/Old Garage/Olaiya junction road, as the protesters occupied one-half of the dual carriageways.
Accompanied by armed police operatives, the Chairman of Osun Civil Societies Coalition, Waheed Lawal, who led the participants, warned the government across all tiers against compounding the hardships Nigerians were currently going through by imposing more taxes.
Lawal stated, “Genuine electoral reforms that divest the executive of powers of appointment and control of election management institutions, end to bad governance and end insecurity in Benue, Borno, Plateau, Kaduna, Zamfara, and across the country.
“We are also demanding prosecution of all culprits of banditry and their sponsors, reversal of pump price to pre-May 2023, creation of jobs for our teeming unemployed youths and reduction in electricity tariff and all other essential commodities. We are also asking for cuts in financial recklessness regarding government spending to cater to the needs of critical sectors.”
The Convener of Dialogue 356, Waheed Saka, and Wole Oladapo of Nigerians for Good Governance, lamented the deplorable condition of Osun State University Teaching Hospital.
Saka, who also accused the All Progressives Congress and the People’s Democratic Party in the state of creating chaos that had led to the closure of council areas in Osun since February, declared that the late MKO Abiola would have regretted fighting for democracy with what Nigerians are currently experiencing under the reign of the current leaders of the country.
“Go to UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital, it has become the opposite of what a teaching hospital should be. The facilities are obsolete, the number of staff available to attend to the patients is grossly inadequate, and those on the job are not well motivated.’’
Oladapo, who decried poor social welfare and non-availability of basic infrastructural amenities for Nigerians after over 26 years of unbroken democratic rule, accused the states and the Federal Government of wrong priorities.
Plateau
The TIB movement also held a procession at the Plateau State House of Assembly, where they highlighted the humanitarian crisis and rising insecurity in the state.
The state coordinator, John Onah, expressed deep concern over the growing devastation in Plateau communities, citing the killing of at least 2,630 people since the current administration took office two years ago.
The movement made several demands to the federal and state governments, security agencies, and civil society organisations, including the need to deploy intelligence-driven security operations to vulnerable LGAs.
Onah called for a coordinated humanitarian response to address displacement, hunger, and healthcare, rebuilding of sacked villages and restoring livelihoods, and the need to initiate independent and transparent investigations into mass killings and village displacements.
The movement particularly called on the Plateau State Government to fund and empower local peace commissions, vigilante networks, and community-based security efforts, as well as provide regular updates to citizens on investigations and justice processes.
Ondo
In Akure, the Ondo State capital, the protesters were led by activist, Mr Omowole Sowore and human rights lawyer, Mr Tope Temokun, among others.
Earlier, some suspected thugs attacked the protesters while they converged on the popular Cathedral Junction in Akure in an attempt to prevent the rally from taking place.
Sowore described the incident as an affront against the nation’s democracy as the country commemorated the June 12 struggle.
He alleged that the police looked away while the thugs assaulted the protesters.
He said, “What is so sad is that a letter had been written by a lawyer to the Commissioner of Police, not to plead with police that we want to protest, but just to remind them of their duties as policemen to protect people in the country, and they failed in that responsibility, that’s why we relocated the protests here.
“It is very unfortunate that while we have converged here at the Cathedral to raise our voices against the hardship and hunger in the country, some armed thugs came to unleash terror on us. They came with weapons, disrupting and chasing people away. These are set of people who were sponsored by the APC government in the state.’’
But the state Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, denied that the police failed to protect the protesters and promised to investigate the incident.
“We deployed our officers very early to places we considered flash points in the state, including Akure, Owo, Ikare, and Ore, to avoid any disruption. I also got the information about an attack on the protesters, and I have asked for evidence. I have also ordered a discreet investigation into that,” the CP explained.
Rivers
Hundreds of ex-Niger Delta Agitators took over the streets of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, to rally support for the re-election of President Tinubu in 2027.
The agitators, who are beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, were dressed mostly in jeans and white T-shirts with the inscription, ‘Tinubu 2027.’
They commended the Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, for reorganising the programme
They also displayed several placards praising the President for increasing the PAP budget, describing it as a courageous move, saying he deserves a second term in office.
Some of the inscriptions read, ‘Tinubu not just governing from Nigeria, his impact is being felt everywhere,’ ‘Tinubu deserves second term in 2027 to continue his good work.’
The youths marched from the popular CFC junction to the Waterlines Bus Stop on Aba Road and back, using the other lane of the busy road.
The National Assistant Secretary, Phase 1, Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, Dennis Ogbonna, said the rally was in commemoration of the Democracy Day.
Ogbonna stated, “We organised this rally today in commemoration of June 12 to thank Mr President for what he has done for us the Amnesty beneficiaries, the people of the Niger Delta and the amnesty office.
“Previous administrations have come and gone, but he came and increased the amnesty budget from N65bn to N115bn. So, we want to say thank you. It does not matter what some people are saying. Government is not for everybody; it comes and goes. So, if this is not your turn, you wait.’’
The Treasurer, Phase 1 of the Presidential Amnesty Programme representing Rivers State, Dennis Phillip, commended the President for his developmental strides and for sustaining the programme.
Benue
Thousands of youths under the aegis of pro-Tinubu/Alia support groups thronged the major streets of Makurdi, Benue State, to drum support for the President and Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The group converged on the roundabout leading to the Government House and turned the rally into a carnival of sorts, singing and dancing.
Madam Grace Iorhe, who spoke on behalf of widows, described the state governor as a messiah who has come to uplift the people of the state.
Also, Omajo Alloy, who spoke on behalf of organised labour, said, “President Tinubu introduced palliative measures to cushion the effects of subsidy removal. Our governor, Hyacinth Alia, has been paying workers’ salaries as and when due, and the improved minimum wage above the national level.”
Leader of the support groups for Tinubu and Alia, Moses Abuku, claimed they have over 1,000 groups ready to work for the re-election of both the governor and the President in 2027.
Southern groups
Meanwhile, President of the Southern Youth Association of Nigeria, Okikiola Fayomi, condemned the protest by the TIB movement, describing it as counterproductive and a distraction.
“As we celebrate Democracy Day, the Southern Youth Association of Nigeria (SYAN) urges Nigerian youths to remain vigilant and not be misguided by unjust protests tagged ‘Take it Back.’ We believe that such actions are counterproductive and undermine the progress we’ve made so far,” he said.
In a similar vein, the South-South Youth Amalgamation expressed deep concern over what it described as “a dangerous trend of inflammatory propaganda and ethnic manipulation” fuelling unrest across the country.
In a statement signed by its Convener, John Clarkson, the group stated, “Over the years, we have witnessed a troubling trend: individuals and groups, both within and outside Nigeria, have sought to create discord among our people through inflammatory propaganda.
“This divisive rhetoric aims to pit one ethnic group against another, undermining the very essence of our national unity. The recent history of protests in Nigeria serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of such divisive tactics.”
Bauchi no-show
However, protesters in Bauchi suspended their planned demonstrations, citing security threats and fears of infiltration.
Nazif Nuhu, the Bauchi State Coordinator, Take-It-Back Movement, told The PUNCH that “The decision was reached after consultations with security agencies. Concerns over the potential hijacking of the protest led us to shelve the plan to take to the streets.”
Meanwhile, The PUNCH observed a heavy presence of armed security personnel stationed at strategic locations around the protest’s intended convergence point opposite Bauchi State College of Agriculture, Yelwa, in the Bauchi metropolis.
