Vehicular traffic in several parts of Lagos metropolis was grounded from Saturday morning till early afternoon after thousands of youths marched along major roads in support of Peter Obi.
The Labour Party presidential candidate’s supporters defied the morning downpour to participate in the #4MillionManMarch4PeterObi held at Lekki, Surulere, Ikeja, and Festac Town – the organisers planned to assemble one million people at each of the venues.
At Ikeja, the supporters assembled at the Archbishop Vining Church from 7 a.m. amidst a contingent of armed police officers. At the same time, a similar crowd had gathered at the FHA ground in Festac Town, and at the National Stadium in Surulere.
At Lekki, the supporters marched along the Lekki-Epe expressway, avoiding the tollgate where over a dozen police patrol vans and armed officers laid siege.
The rally grounded vehicular traffic along the Lekki-Epe corridor, Ikorodu road, Mile 2, Opebi, and Maryland.
Ten persons had attempted to stop the rally through a court order, filing a suit before the Federal High Court in Lagos stating that the event could precipitate a repeat of the 20th October 2020, #EndSARS violence. They urged the court to stop the rally at the tollgate or any other part of Lagos.
The judge dismissed the suit, saying the people have the right to assembleanywhere in the state. He, however, ordered the supporters to pass through the Lekki tollgate to their destination and not stop at the plaza.
As the rally got underway Saturday morning, armed police officers watched closely, but the participants were undeterred. They marched through the major roads chanting ‘Obi’ and dancing to some popular Afrobeat songs.
“You are one of us, I know you have a son like me,” a participant fired at a police officer who sat in a patrol van along the Lekki-Epe expressway, filming the procession on his mobile phone.
The movement
In Ikeja, the procession marched from the GRA through Mary Land, Opebi, and finally to the Computer Village axis.
Fibiyi Shola, a business analyst, said the rally is important to let Nigerians know that power belongs to them.
“We want our country back, back, it is simple, we are tired. And we know that democracy belongs to the people. We own the government, so we are taking our country back,” she said.
“We are all contesting for presidency through Peter Obi because we have seen that he is the best man for the job.”
Another participant, Simon John, said he believes that things will change under Peter Obi “for good.”
“We are all out here for PeterObiDatti, it is a match for solidarity, freedom, and to liberate everyone in this nation,” he said.
“This march is to say enough of the suffering, we need someone competent, someone who knows how people feel. We are hoping that with Peter Obi, things will change for good. Peter Obi is not Messiah but far better than other people.”
At Lekki, the procession marched from the Marwa bus stop, on the expressway.
Kingsley Azubuike, a participant, said Nigerians are tired of the corruption in government.
“I work abroad, I see things, sometimes I ask myself all these government officials they are coming abroad and see things that are happening, why can’t they make it here?
“Small time you will hear monkey swallowed money, snake swallowed money, we are sick and tired of corrupt government.”
Azubuike said he is optimistic that the huge turnout for the rally would also be repeated on election day.
“Nobody will leave his house 5 a.m. to come here and on election day won’t vote, it won’t happen.”
Another participant, who declined to say his name, said Nigerians have had enough of poor leadership.
“Before now, people will come out for rallies but on election day you won’t see them,” he said.
“But something is changing in this country, I think we’ve gotten to that precipice where people now say that they need to be involved.
“For the past 60 years a lot of us, including myself, have been armchair participants in this political process. But it has gotten so bad in this country that there are very few people that have been in control of this country and they are taking us to the precipice.
“Until everybody stands up and say enough is enough, that is what I think is happening here.
“I have always voted but I vote and I go home. I have never been involved in all these pre-election… but this one is completely different.”
At Festac Town, the procession, joined by persons living with disabilities, moved from the FHA ground to Apple Junction and Mile 2.
Ahead of the rally, the police made subtle attempts to whip up fears and possibly dissuade the participants.
On Friday night, they shared photos of battle-ready officers manning the tollgate, stating they would not allow any rally at the plaza. This came despite the organisers repeatedly saying they never planned to assemble at the toll plaza.
Police spokesperson in Lagos, Benjamin Hundeyin, also replied to a tweet about the routes the march will take, saying “No procession on the expressway. Be guided!”
Delays
At Ikeja, Orji Ogbonna, one of the organisers of the rally, said security operatives tried to deny them access to the football pitch at Archbishop Vining Church, their planned assemble point.
By 8 a.m., PREMIUM TIMES observed that security guards of the estate were only opening the gates for cars and other residents stopping participants of the rally from accessing the football pitch.
“We got here very early en masse for our principal, Peter Obi, the security people are saying that we didn’t take permission from the state authority and they are not giving us access,” he said.
“We are very organised, we are not armed, we are here to rally for Peter Obi. We are not here to cause any havoc, just to have a peaceful rally.”
One of the coordinators of the rally, who identified himself simply as Ugochukwu, said they got approval from the police to hold the rally in Ikeja.
“We got the clearance from the police to march today, this match is not organised by LP, it is organised by support groups.
“We have put resources together to organise this and people are ready to match.
Another coordinator, Philip, said “we had received an express approval for Ikeja and moreover we are not Labour Party. This match is organised by the coalition made up of different support groups for Peter Obi and the Vice, Obidatti.”
“All of the expenses are contributed by us. Obidients are not troublemakers, they are not people who want to look for trouble, we are just expressing our desire to see a new nation and a new Nigeria.“
Uyo residents too
Residents of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, came out in their numbers on Saturday to take part in a rally in support of Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) Presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections.
Those who took part in the Uyo rally assembled by 10 a.m. around a water fountain by Nwaniba Road, one of the major roads in the heart of Uyo, from there they marched peacefully through the roads, singing, dancing, and waving the LP flags, alongside the Nigerian national flags.
Several youths carried placards indicating that they have taken a decision to support Obi in next year’s presidential election.
“Obi! Obi! Obi!” They crowd sang, as they marched on.
“Woah, woah, woah! It’s unbelievable,” Anthony Abonyi, coordinator of Peter Obi Support Group in Akwa Ibom State, said of the crowd and the mood, as he marched along with others.
“The movement is revolutionary. It’s unbelievable. Obi is already the president,” Abonyi said.
He said for such a large crowd to voluntarily take part in the rally is a pointer that Nigerians are tired of bad governance.
“Nigerians are tired. They are tired of bad governance. We are tired of everything that has to do with the PDP and the APC, there must be a change. There must be a change. Yes, everybody is desirous of that change.”
Abonyi said the rally is a way of letting the “government know that Nigerians are tired of bad governance”.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been the dominant party in Akwa Ibom State since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999.
It is, however, unclear for now what impact the support for the LP candidate would likely have on the PDP in the state.
Asaba shut down for Obi
Thousands of Labour Party (LP) supporters known as “Obidients” on Saturday shut down Asaba, the Delta State capital, during a rally to drum support for its 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The rally, tagged, “One million-man march for Peter Obi,” took Asaba by storm. The supporters marched down major roads, as residents celebrated the nation’s 62nd independence anniversary.
All major roads in Asaba witnessed gridlocks while motorists and other road users groaned over the traffic jam.
The crowd of supporters marched along the popular Nnebisi road in the heart of the town down to the Inter-bua roundabout, chatting solidarity songs in support of Obi.
The Labour Party supporters mainly youths were drawn from across the 25 LGAs of the state.
A supporter, Festus Edomoro, said that he came all the way from the riverine community of Patani to participate in the rally meant to draw support for Obi’s 2023 presidential bid.
“We are here today to draw support for our candidate, Obi. He is the new hope for a better Nigeria.
“I came all the way from Patani to be part of this mega rally, and I am happy to be here. I desire a new Nigeria, and Obi is the face of a new Nigeria,” Edomoro said.
A commercial motorist, Chiedu Okoh, who took part in the rally, said that he was confident of the victory of Obi at the poll.
“I abandoned my daily ‘hustling’ today to be part of this rally. As you can see, everyone is yearning for Obi, so I can’t be different.
“As a nation, Nigeria has come a long way and this is the time for us to make a choice. Obi is our choice out of those jostling to be president.
“You can see for yourself that Nigerians are tired of the old politicians. This is the time for a change and Obi represents the change,” Okoh said.
The Cable reports that similar matches took place in Edo, Gombe and Bauchi states.
PT/The Cable/Freedomonline
