The OccupyNASS campaign group has denied claims that it is being sponsored to move against the National Assembly, or its embattled chairman, Bukola Saraki.
The group said it benefits instead from a robust support package from unnamed Nigerians, at an average of N400, 000 daily, throughout its campaign.
The group on Thursday said it would bring down its tents and leave the main gate of the National Assembly on Friday morning, three days after starting a sit-in there.
At a hastily-arranged press briefing on Thursday night, the movement listed its achievements, demands and plans for its future.
Bunmi Awoyemi, the convener, said the protest was ending on a good note for all Nigerians.
“This is the first time in the history of Nigeria that Nigerians from all walks of life were able to galvanise each other to come to Abuja to shut down the National Assembly,” Mr. Awoyemi said. “We succeeded in sending a very strong message that Nigerians will no longer be taken for a ride.”
The group denied that the protest was against the Mr. Saraki, who is under pressure to step down from office as he faces corruption trial.
The OccupyNASS said Mr. Saraki was only the symptom of the entire rot in the National Assembly.
“As we have said since the beginning of this protest, it’s not about Saraki. The aim of this protest is not to get Bukola Saraki to resign because he’s a symptom of the entire rot in the legislature,” the group said. “The aim of this project is to achieve fundamental reforms.”
It also denied being sponsored against the nation’s legislature, saying its activities were fully funded by Nigerians who are sympathetic to the movement’s cause.
Source: Premium Times
The group said it benefits instead from a robust support package from unnamed Nigerians, at an average of N400, 000 daily, throughout its campaign.
The group on Thursday said it would bring down its tents and leave the main gate of the National Assembly on Friday morning, three days after starting a sit-in there.
At a hastily-arranged press briefing on Thursday night, the movement listed its achievements, demands and plans for its future.
Bunmi Awoyemi, the convener, said the protest was ending on a good note for all Nigerians.
“This is the first time in the history of Nigeria that Nigerians from all walks of life were able to galvanise each other to come to Abuja to shut down the National Assembly,” Mr. Awoyemi said. “We succeeded in sending a very strong message that Nigerians will no longer be taken for a ride.”
The group denied that the protest was against the Mr. Saraki, who is under pressure to step down from office as he faces corruption trial.
The OccupyNASS said Mr. Saraki was only the symptom of the entire rot in the National Assembly.
“As we have said since the beginning of this protest, it’s not about Saraki. The aim of this protest is not to get Bukola Saraki to resign because he’s a symptom of the entire rot in the legislature,” the group said. “The aim of this project is to achieve fundamental reforms.”
It also denied being sponsored against the nation’s legislature, saying its activities were fully funded by Nigerians who are sympathetic to the movement’s cause.
Source: Premium Times
