Supporters of Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, known as Obi-dients have appealed to the Nigerian government to allow them use the National Stadium, Surulere, for their mega rally on Saturday, October 1 in Lagos.
The exercise tagged “Lagos 5 Million Man March/Mega Rally,” has encountered some hitches with the Wednesday court judgement, which only allowed Obi’s supporters to pass through the Lekki Tollgate during their March but should not converge on the area.
This prompted the organisers to call on the Minister of Sports, Mr Sunday Dare, for permission to use the National Stadium at Surulere for the rally.
However, a statement released on Friday signed by Olawale Okunniyi Director General, NCFront for the 3rd Force Movement, indicated that the Sports Minister had yet to give approval for the stadium to be used.
Okunniyi stated that the Central Planning Committee of the mega rally had informed the leadership of the 3rd Force Movement that if the government refused to allow them make use of the stadium, “the Organisers may not be able to stop Nigerians from making use of strategic historic venue like Lekki Toll Gate, and Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park against all odds,” part of the statement read.
Okunniyi further said “Consequently, Leaders of the 3rd Force Movement have tried to intervene in this matter but the Federal Ministry of Sports under Mr Sunday Dare is yet to act positively.
“So, all well meaning Nigerians are implored to appeal to the Sport Minister to immediately bow to wisdom and allow the peaceful independence rally of Obi-dient Nigerians hold at the car park of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos as requested by the Organisers to avoid unintended jam in Lagos tomorrow.”
The plan, according to the organisers, was to hold the march in three locations in Lagos starting at 7 am; one at Lekki axis, another at Ikeja GRA and FESTAC.
The NCFront leader stressed that the Lagos Independence march and the mega ally were planned to be peaceful and urged the government agents to avoid acts that could cause confusion and give an impression that they the Obi-dients were constituting violence.
“We as leaders of conscience in the Nigerian Civil Society and as Vanguard and Veterans of the assembly of the Nigerian peoples and masses, hereby wish to assure the Nigerian public that the Lagos independence march and the mega rally is planned to be very peaceful and orderly all things being equal, so government should avoid tacit instigation of confusion.
“This notwithstanding, the Organisers has assured us that the historic March and Mega Rally will hold as scheduled and announced tomorrow, commencing from 7am and all Obi-dient Citizens of Nigeria are expected to turn out in large numbers,” Okuniyi stated. (PBA except changes in headline)
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