Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Protesters siege national assembly over $3 million bribery scandal

As the National Assembly resumed from its recess Tuesday, scores of youths under the umbrella of Nigeria Youth for Good Governance (NYGG) stormed the National Assembly to protest against corruption in the legislative arm of government.


Speaking to newsmen at the premises of the National Assembly, the Leader of the group Comrade Joe Mesele berated legislators for repeatedly getting involved in acts of corruption.


Several of the protesters carried placards bearing different inscriptions. Some of the inscriptions read: "We don't want corruption any more"; "We say no to corruption in the National Assembly"; "No more honourable looting"; "Nigerian Youths say no to legislative corruption"; "Let's sanitise the parliament, the last hope of the masses".


The NYGG leader said the group was comprised of conscious Nigerian youths who believe in the tenets of democracy, good governance and development and as such "we believe that our democracy must be sanitized of corruption.


"The type of allegations and counter allegations coming out of the National Assembly is unacceptable for an institution that should represent the people of this country.


"We feel that as responsible and patriotic Nigerians we should come here today to formally make a presentation in the form of a protest to the National Assembly so that the members would know we are watching them keenly and we are not happy about what they are doing", Mesele stated.


He however, denied that his group was sponsored to embark on the protest. According to him, "we have not seen any Nigerian who can sponsor this group to embark on a protest because we have conscience. Although we are not as organized as we should be, this is not the first time we have marched on the streets to protest against ills in the society."


The group was prevented from entering the chambers of the National Assembly by security operatives, however, a police officer collected their placards for onward submission to the leadership of the NASS.


Vanguard


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