#RESUME OR RESIGN PROTEST: Charly Boy may head to court

Veteran musician and ex-President of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Charles Oputa better known as Charly Boy may soon head to court to compel President Buhari to meet the demands of his group.

The musician turned activist, further announced that the protest/sit out which was suspended in Abuja would now be held in Lagos.

According to him, should the president be unable to comply with their demands “within 21 days, we will approach a court seeking an order of mandamus to compel the Federal Executive Council to set up a committee in line with section 144 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), to appraise the health of President Buhari and subsequently determine whether or not he can continue to discharge his presidential functions as enshrined in the constitution”.

Providing reasons for suspending the #ResumeOrResign protests in Abuja in a letter posted on his Facebook page, Charly Boy who narrowly escaped a mob action after angry traders and protesters who are believed to be supporters of president Buhari at Wuse market, Abuja, pelted him with stones, said the temporary suspension is to enable his group restrategize on ways to make the protests less open to violent attacks.

Read the full text of the seven-point letter signed by Charly Boy below;

1. Following the spate of violent attacks by officers of the Nigerian Police Force and then by paid hoodlums on our #ResumeOrResign daily sit-outs and peaceful processions in various parts of Abuja, it has become necessary to announce a suspension of our daily activities in the city.

2. This temporary suspension is to enable us restrategize on ways to make our processions less open to such violent attacks and to better ensure the safety of all our members and other participants at our sit-outs and peaceful processions in future.

3. This is also to make known our good intention and unreserved commitment to promote peace and unity in our beloved country. We believe this decision will help in dousing the unnecessary ethnic tension being stoked by the cabal holding Nigeria to a ransom.

4. Whereas our daily sit-out will be suspended temporarily in Abuja, Sit-Out will continue to hold at the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos, between 0900hrs – 1000hrs daily; New York (Front of the Nigerian consulate, 828 Second Avenue); and vigil will also be held in front of the Abuja House in London on Friday August 18th, 2017 by 1700hrs.

5. Members of the general public and members of the media are also invited to any of these events to provide support in whatever capacity they may deem fit.

Read also: #ResumeOrResign Protest: After Wuse Market attack, Charly Boy & co suspend demonstrations

6. Finally, we hereby demand that President Buhari returns to the country and resume duty as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria within 21 days from today, or that he resigns completely from office to enable him return to Daura to take care of his ill health.

7. Should the president be unable to comply with any of the aforementioned demands within 21 days, we will approach a court seeking an order of mandamus to compel the Federal Executive Council to set up a committee in line with section 144 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), to appraise the health of President Buhari and subsequently determine whether or not he can continue to discharge his presidential functions as enshrined in the constitution.

Yesterday while announcing the move to suspend the protest in a speech at the Unity Fountain Park in Abuja, Charly Boy said; “We are not deterred by the intimidation and harassment by the sponsored thugs and we cannot be cowed by a few groups of people. What government want to do is to ensure that we have a clash with the hired crowd and we will not allow that to happen.”

Recall that last week Tuesday which was the second day of the protests also turned rowdy when policemen fired tear gas canisters at protesters, injuring one person in the process in an incident condemned by the Senate.

Charly Boy and other protesters were having their sit-out at the Millennium Park opposite the Unity Fountain, Maitama, when policemen disrupted their gathering by firing tear gas canister to displace them.

Last Friday which marked the fifth day of the rally saw the #ResumeOrResign protest disrupted by a dozen members of a group sympathetic to President Muhammadu Buhari chanting ‘Sai Baba Sai Baba’, in a scene which almost snowballed into a clash but for the swift intervention of security operatives.

 

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