Popular Nigerian journalist and activist, Agba Jalingo has said the planned protest in Calabar, Cross River State, will go on as arranged, in spite of the threat by the state government.
Jalingo said the Department of State Services (DSS) as of now welcomed one of the organizers, Jonathan Ugbal, over the planned protest, taking note of that the protest will proceed notwithstanding.
He expressed that if the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) can hold rallies and public social events, the same applies to protesters.
He said, “When Governor Ayade defected, both APC and PDP could hold rallies and gather to address their supporters, but for the impending June 12 nationwide protest, the state government is reminding us in a statement that public gatherings are still banned. It’s a lie. We will protest. The worst is that we will be tear-gassed, arrested, detained and arraigned in court.
“The DSS in Calabar has already invited and questioned Jonathan Ugbal, twice over the planned protest, while we didn’t hear that anyone was invited when APC and PDP supporters wanted to gather after Governor Ayade defected.
“When did the gathering of activists who seek to change society, become a crime while that of criminal politicians who have ruined our lives become a given?
“Our state cannot be governed by two different sets of laws. It is the same human beings who went to listen to the politicians that will be coming out to protest. Whoever thinks he/she can take away the people’s constitutional right to freely gather and disagree with their government, is a callous dictator and must be resisted and resistance we shall do.
“June 12 protest will hold in Calabar and as usual, we will expect the cops to come and tear-gas and disperse us and make headlines for us. But to think that we will be deterred is a big lie. We are all freeborns of the same country.”
