Saturday, 28 February 2015

London anti-Buhari protesters: we didn’t know why they hired us

Most of the anti-Buhari protesters at Chatham House, London, on Thursday  actually had no understanding of the  issues at stake or the APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari  ,according to reports from England.
And in what appears to be a confirmation of the allegation that the protesters were hired by government officials to embarrass the APC flag bearer, some   of the protesters were    jobless Nigerians and commercial sex workers  who were forced to relocate to England as a result of the poor economy at home.
A reporter who  covered the protest said of the protesters: “They are actually Nigerians who are struggling here.Some of them, actually I’m talking about  the ladies, are from the red light district here.
“Some of the youths are actually unkempt…and they are obviously struggling.”
When the reporter asked one of the protesters why he was taking part in the  agitation his response was:  “Because we don’t want dictatorship in Nigeria any more.”
Prodding him further,the reporter asked: “Why?What do you know about the General?”
The protester responded: I just heard about him from  the people I saw earlier on.
The interrogation continued thus:
Reporter: You only heard about him? Have you done your home work?
First Protester: Not at all.
Reporter: But how did you come about this protest:
First Protester: I was told. I don’t know what to say.I’m not prepared for this interview.
  
He stopped talking and walked away.
A female protester, who gave her name as Abigail, admitted that “I don’t really know much about politics.”
But asked why she was protesting,she said: “I came here to support Goodluck Jonathan.
And to the question on why she was supporting Jonathan, she retorted: “I don’t know.”
She was also asked what she had against Buhari, she sighed and said: “I’m not against anyone.”
The reporter’s encounter with a third protester,a lady,  went thus:
Reporter: Can you tell  us about this demonstration?
Third Respondent: I don’t know. I don’t want to talk.
Like the first respondent, she quietly walked away.
Another protester said she was “doing it for the President.”
Reports before the protest had said a group had requested  $20,000 from the Presidency for the purpose of organising  the  protest  and mobilising people  for it.

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