Lagos-based constitutional lawyer and human rights campaigner, Mr Femi Falana said the act of brandishing the Russian national flag or calling for a military takeover in the ongoing nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests is an abuse of constitutional rights
Falana stated this while addressing journalists in Lagos.
He warned those engaging in or promoting such act to desist from anything that would jeopardise the objective of the protests.
Recall that some protesters in Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara and Plateau states as well as Nyanya Bridge in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, were seen at the weekend and on Monday waving the Russian flags and chanting “We don’t want bad government,” “Tinubu ze soka’ kaa’sa,” which translates to, “Tinubu must step-down.”
Aside from protesting the economic hardship occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy, the demonstrators also called for the intervention of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin.
“Welcome, Russia; Welcome, Russia,” they said.
Falana who was reacting to the development said the right to protest is required to be exercised peacefully within the ambit of the law.
“Section 83(4) of the Police Establishment Act 2020 has imposed a duty on the Nigeria Police Force to provide adequate security for citizens who may wish to participate in public meetings, rallies and protests. In many parts of the country, the Police provided adequate security for the ##endbadgovernance protesters and in some cases professionalism was glaringly on display.
“Having won the legal battle for the Nigerian people to exercise their constitutional right to protest against unpopular policies of the government, I have supported the constitutional right from all walks of life to exercise the right to protest.
“While we have supported the right of the #endbadgovernance protesters, we have a patriotic duty to call on them to distance themselves from the undemocratic forces who have taken advantage of the peaceful protests to engage in violence or campaign for another military coup in the country.
“It has become necessary to point out that calling for a military coup or waving the flag of Russia, a country that is noted for supporting unconstitutional change of government in Africa, constitutes a gross abuse of the constitutional right to protest against the Government of Nigeria.
“The legitimate protests against hardship in the land should not be turned into a campaign for unconstitutional change of government.
“Therefore, those who are involved in the illegal campaign for another military rule are advised to stop it forthwith. Otherwise, they may be accused of engaging in the offence of treasonable felony in contravention of section 41 of the Criminal Code Act.
“In order to make any form of unconstitutional change of government unattractive to the people of Nigeria, the Bola Tinubu administration ought to review the neoliberal policies that are promoting poverty and hardship in the land,” he said.
