Handover To Jonathan, Say Soyinka, Falana,Others ..Protest Yar’Adua’s Absence

Over 2000 Nigerians, including members of civil society groups, the clergy and Labour led by Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, yesterday, in Abuja staged a peaceful protest over the failure of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to handover power to his deputy, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Oladimeji Bankole, was also booed by the irate protesters in front of the National Assembly when He attempted to address them as the protesters arrive the National Legislature.

The procession of the protesters drawn from across the country which kicked off at about 10am from the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Maitama District and terminated at the National Assembly at about 1pm featured prominent Nigerians like Femi Falana, Pastor Tunde Bakare of Latter Rain Assembly Lagos, and former President of Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO), Olisa Agbakoba as well as representatives of Labour.

The protesters carried placards, some of which read: “Umaru where are you?’ , “Let’s kill corruption, before it kills us”, “Vacuum governance equals to a failed economy”, “Black it out!” and “Terrorism, delist Nigeria now”

Speaking at the end of the protest, in front of the National Assembly, Professor Wole Soyinka said the ideal thing for President Yar’Adua who has been away from the country for 50 days on health ground to Saudi Arabia was for him to have transmitted power to the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, if he has the intent of leaving the country.

Justus Awaji