Human rights groups stage ``Save Our Democracy’’ protest in Lagos

(Nigeria) Human rights groups, under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society, CCS, on Tuesday in Lagos staged what they called a ``Save Our Democracy’’ protest.

The protesters, in their dozens,  kicked off their ``democracy walk’’ from the Testing Ground Bus Stop, Ikeja, on Obafemi Awolowo Road, before massing at the Governor's Office, Alausa.
The protesters, including women, chanted songs warning those they referred to as political jobbers against truncating the nation's fledgling democracy.

The coordinator of the group, Mr Raji-Rasheed Oyewumi, said the protest was called to sensitise Nigerians, particularly politicians, on the need to protect the nation's hard-earned democracy.
He said the group was worried about political activities that had heated up the polity.
``We want to warn those in power to be careful and also to sensitise Nigerians on the need for them to participate actively in the polity.
``We need a democracy that will benefit all and not a few,’’ Oyewumi said.
He decried ongoing developments in Rivers House of Assembly and urged all parties in the crisis to sheathe their swords in the interest of peace.

Oyewumi also used the occasion to call on the Senate to vote for local government autonomy in the ongoing amendment of the 1999 Constitution.
He expressed the group’s support for the removal of immunity clause from the constitution, in that this would make the nation's leaders to sit up.
Receiving the protesters on behalf of Governor Babatunde Fashola, his Chief of Staff, Mr Lanre Babalola, promised to pass on the issues raised to the governor.