Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), yesterday appealed to protesting lawyers to exercise their displeasure over the removal of fuel subsidy within the ambit of the law.
The governor said that it was better to start from the negotiation table than to end there.”
Members of the Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos Branch, had marched from the Lagos High Court, in Igbosere, to the Governor’s Lodge at Marina, to show their displeasure over the removal of fuel subsidy.
The lawyers were led by their Chairman, Mr. Taiwo Taiwo, former President, Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Mrs Ayo Obe and human rights lawyer; Mr Ebun Adegboruwa among others.
The lawyers, all dressed in black suits, left the high court at 9.05am and got to the Governor’s House at 10.30pm chanting various solidarity songs and carrying placards with inscriptions such as ‘impeach Jonathan now’, 80 percent of Nigerians live on one dollar per day’ ‘fight the so called cabal not the people and ‘prosecute the cabals and reduce cost of governance’ among others.
Addressing the protesting lawyers, governor Fashola acknowledged that if Nigerians have rights to vote, then they also have rights to complain against policies of government.
The Governor, who commended the lawyers for the matured manner they carried out their protest, added that “it signifies maturity of the nation’s democracy”.
He stressed that the need for Nigerians to look for economic challenges facing the country and the best way to address them and said, “I will ensure that I get your letters across to Mr. President. But let me say that these are very challenging times locally and globally. There are pressures at every level of leadership and it cannot be different at the National Level. But, I believe as a people we will find a way out. It is important that we continue to engage, to talk.
“I will like to appeal to all of us that the kernnel of our discontent is the insufficiency of life improving assets and amenities.