– The protesters have denied being sponsored to move against Bukola Saraki
– The group said its activities were funded by Nigerians who are sympathetic to the cause
– The convener said the protest was ended on a good note
Protesters walking to the National Assembly Complex
The #OccupyNASS campaign group has denied being sponsored to move against the National Assembly, or the president of the Nigerian Senate, Bukola Saraki.
According to Premium Times, the group pointed that its activities were fully funded by Nigerians who are sympathetic to the movement’s cause at an average of N400,000 daily, throughout its campaign period.
READ ALSO: Saraki must resign – group protests (photos)
The group said: “From day one, when Nigerians said they’re interested in occupying the National Assembly, contributions started coming in. Nigerians started asking for the account of the movement.”
“Five thousand, ten thousand, one hundred thousand and even one million. A Nigerian, sitting amongst you today, donated ₦1 million to this protest. From U.S., from U.K., people were contributing to this movement. We were averaging ₦400,000 every day.”
The group on Thursday, April 28, said it would bring down its tents and leave the main gate of the National Assembly on Friday, April 29, three days after starting a sit-in there.
The convener, Bunmi Awoyemi, said the protest was ending on a good note for all Nigerians. He also denied that the protest was against Saraki who is under pressure to step down from office as he faces corruption trial.
The #OccupyNASS said Saraki was merely a symptom of a dysfunctional 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 aim of this project is to achieve fundamental reforms,” Awoyemi said.
The group said a series of missteps by lawmakers in recent weeks informed their decision to take over the National Assembly.
READ ALSO: Protesters sleep on the road to demand Saraki’s resignation
The movement demanded an immediate return of newly-acquired Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles by the lawmakers, immediate passage of the petroleum industry bill as well as a reversal of all constituency projects proposed in the budget.
The National Assembly gates on Tuesday, April 26, were sealed as scores of protesting youths under the aegis of Occupy National Assembly and Save Nigeria Group stormed the premises.
The youths made up of various Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and students, were demanding the resignation of Bukola Saraki, and that the lawmakers should immediately revisit the grey areas identified in the 2016 budget by President Muhammadu Buhari.
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