“Governance Is Not A Tea Party,” Oshiomhole Warns Against Unconstitutional Demands In Protests

Oshiomhole, who is currently a serving senator, made the allegation during a chat with Arise TV on Wednesday.

According to him, the protests which initially focused on legitimate concerns like hunger and economic hardship have been hijacked by those who want a change of government.

“I did say that let nobody talk about peaceful protest. Whereas I recognise the right to peaceful protest, which I exploited, enjoyed and partialized, I also said when you exercise that right to protest, you must also look at the demands and I have looked at it and my takeaway from it is a lot of these guys are only hiding under hunger.

“What they are actually asking for is regime change and I said you cannot legally, lawfully and peacefully demand regime change under the Nigerian constitution.

“On the day before the protest, I saw many people calling for peaceful protests, emphasising that the constitution guarantees the right to peaceful protest.

“I have led so many protests, both in the public and the private sector, national level. It must be clear to everybody that the only way to effect a change of government is to go through an election as provided for in the constitution.

“There is no room for regime change, no room for military takeover of government in Nigeria.

“The issue is not about if there is hunger. The issue is that the people used what the people can feel. At no time in my protest history did I demand regime change.

“I emphasised regime change because I know the logic. These people, I don’t know them. Who are those who want to take back Nigeria from Nigeria? The business of governance is not a tea party,”, Oshiomhole stated.