Recession: 500 protesters storm Abuja, pass vote of confidence on Buhari, Emefiele

…warm detractors

About 500 protesters under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society Groups (COSG) on Thursday trooped to the streets in Abuja with a call on fifth columnists “who are sabotaging the efforts of Federal Government”, in addressing the current economic recession in the country to desist from the sabotage.

They also passed a vote of confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari and members of his economic team, specifically the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.

The protesters also appealed to the Niger Delta militants, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other aggrieved groups in the country to sheath their swords and allow government to work.

They were seen carrying placards with different inscriptions: “In unity we will overcome recession”, “Say no to agents of distabilization’, ‘Naira will bounce back’, ‘Give change a chance’, ‘We stand with Buhari and Emefiele’, among others.

Speaking during the rally at the Tafawa Balewa Road, Area 11, Abuja, the President of the coalition, Bassey Williams said it was so unfortunate that some faceless group with clandestine motive, were doing protest against the Nigerian government over current hard time.

According to him, one of the best things that have happened to the present administration is the role being played by the CBN governor in bringing the Naira to be at a very favourable position in the global economic market.

He maintained that people rushed to the media to castigate the Department of State Security (DSS) over the arrest of some Judges, when they were ignorant of the fact of the matters, adding that Nigerians were fully in support of the efforts of the PMB to eradicate corruption in Nigeria.

According to him, “We are here today to demonstrate to Nigerians that we are fully in support of the economic think-tank of the President.

“We are passing the vote of confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun and other members of his team.

“We want to say that we are in support of what DSS has done so far. We cannot and would not encourage corruption, corruption must die.

“If there is corruption, Nigeria will not strive, our economic will go down, and that is why we are in full support of the President’s anti-corruption war.

“And we want to urge all Nigerians especially the media to support this fight against corruption, to support the government of President Buhari to take Nigeria out of the recession.

“We want to appeal to the Niger Delta militants to sheath their swords, we want to appeal to agitators of the Biafra Republic to sheath their swords and embrace peace and unity, in oneness we strive.”

Bassey further noted that people who had looted the treasury of the country and brought her to her kneel could not turn to be advocate of economic growth overnight, adding that calling for the removal of Emefiele is unjustifiable.

“It would be an insult on our collective intelligence if those responsible for the present state of our economy have suddenly turned advocates of rapid economic growth and development through the use of media propaganda and campaign of calumny against you government in a bid to discredit the good work of our economic team,” he said.