REALLY ? Presidency cannot stop the Feb. 6th protest- VP Osinbajo says

hehehehe...VP Yemi Osinbajo says that the presidency can't stop the February 6th nationwide protest. Speaking through his senior special assistant-media and publicity, Laolu Akande, who was a guest on Channels TV, Osinbajo said Nigerians have the right to protest as it is their fundamental human rights.

''Presidency is not going to stop people from expressing their fundamental human rights. People have the right to protest. Whoever they want to support or oppose is their right. Government is not in the business of countering any protest'' he said

Lawyer and human rights activist, Festus Keyamo, has reacted to the Lagos state police command's ban on the February 6th protest in Lagos which is supported by singer, 2face Idibia. Commissioner for Police, Fatai Owoseni, had placed a ban on the planned protest, stating that intelligence gathering have suggested that some thugs plan to hijack the protest.

Speaking exclusively to Fidelis Chidi blog today, Keyamo explained that it is the right of aggrieved citizens to hold protests and that the police cannot ban such by claiming violence because one cannot know if a protest will be violent until it’s being carried out.

He said a permit from the police for the protest does not in anyway guarantee a protest to be peaceful.

“The police cannot ban protest. They can only ban violent activities but they cannot ban protest and you cannot know whether a protest would be violent unless violence begins. When the violence begins they can now disperse them with minimum force; tear gas, in Europe they use hot water and few things like that. You only use what they call minimum force to disperse them when it breaks out, but you cannot predict whether a protest will break down. A protest permit does not guarantee that a protest will not break down. Even when the police are guarding and when the police are there present, it can break down. So generally speaking, every Nigerian has the right to protest.”

Asked whether he is in support of the protest, Keyamo said

“Whether I’m in support of it is not important, but what is important is that all Nigerians have the right to protest whenever they want to protest. Nigerians have the right to protest, that is just the provision of the law. So, whoever feels aggrieved about anything has a right to protest.”

2face foundation, owned by singer 2face Idibia who is part of the organizers of the February 6th nationwide protest, says they are in talks with the Lagos state police command and that the police hasn't told them they are banning the protest.

Speaking exclusively to Fidelis Chidi blog  this morning, 2face's manager and an executive of 2face foundation, Efe Omoroge, said the police has not informed them that the planned protest has been banned.

"We have reached out to them. We are having conversations with them. I am not sure the news making the rounds about the protest is true. The feedback from the police authorities is quite different from that. I am not sure about the source of the police story and how true it is. The police has not told us they are banning the protest. We are in talks with them. They have not communicated that to us either in words, written form or body language. Maybe you should reach out to the police authorities to clarify their stance but on behalf of the 2face foundation, we do not think that is true because that is not the feedback we have received. We do not think the police will be telling us one thing and will be telling the media something else"he said

Asked if they have requested for a protest permit, Omorogbe said 

"We are actively engaging the police. Our protest is a controlled conversation. Our objectives are clear. 2baba is a peace ambassador. The 2face foundation's primary focus is peace building and advocating for good governance. The protest is a citizens engagement. It is not an organized labor conversation. It is not pro or against anybody or religion. It is unrepresented"he said

Reacting to Blackface and other persons attacking the planned protest, Omorogbe said 

"Freedom of speech. It is a free country. The way I have the right to say the sun is quite high and I am feeling hot is the same way someone has the right to say the sun is quite high but I am cold".

Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has reacted to the Lagos state police command proposed ban of the February 6th protest in Lagos. See more of her tweets abeg