Peaceful protest ongoing in Port Harcourt
From Chris Eze, Port Harcourt
Despite threats and appeals from different quarters calling for the boycott of the #EndbadgovernanceinNigeria protest slated for August 1 to 10, 2024 from holding in Rivers State, mammoth crowd converged at different locations in Port Harcourt this morning and marched through the major roads in solidarity with fellow Nigerians.
From Harbor Road, Rumuokoro, Waterlines, Rumuola and other locations, the protesters with placards peacefully marched along chanting solidarity songs even in defiance of light showers drizzling .
Some of the placards read, “Let fuel come back to N90.00 per liter, ” We need good go ernance in Nigeria, ” End hunger now in Nigeria, “Tinubu must go”, “We will fight for our right”, etc.
Many of the protesters were carrying Nigeria flags , waving it as they marched through the roads which are virtually empty as commercial motorists apparently for fear of the unknown stayed away from business.
In front of the Federal Secretariat along Aba Road, Port Harcourt, the protesters made a brief stop over, knelt down holding their hands and prayed God to touch the heart of the leaders to govern the people well.
Recall that on Tuesday, the management of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC made spirited efforts to persuade Niger Delta people to shun the protest.
The commission had gathered ethnic nationalities, youths and women of the region in what it called a sensitization conference where the specific message was for them to boycott the proposed protest.
At the conference, ex militant leader, Alhaji Asari Dokubo had threatened to deal with anyone who crosses his line in the process of holding the protest.
He urged the people to support President Bola Tinubu despite the hardship in the land for the interest of Southern Nigeria.
