A GROUP of protesters converged on Eagle Square on Wednesday, March 12, to drum support for Nigerian Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, against the suspended senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan.
The ICIR crew at the venue observed that many of the protesters did not know why they were at the venue.
Some of those interviewed admitted they were promised financial rewards ranging from N3,000 to N5,000 to hold placards and walk to the National Assembly gate in Akpabio’s support.
Most of the protesters, holding banners and placards with different inscriptions, admitted they had no idea why they were at the venue.
One of the protesters, Saratu Ismail, who held a placard with the inscription, “Senator Natasha is a serial blackmailer,” admitted that she and 50 others were brought from Karmajiji and Lugbe by a women leader she identified as Salamatu Jibrin, who promised to pay them after the demonstration.
“Aunty asked fifty of us to gather here, but I don’t know what it’s about or if it is political. She promised us something, which is why we came, ”Saratu said in the Hausa language.
Another protester, Blessing Samuel, who came from Kubi Makaranta in Asokoro area of the city, said she had no idea what the protest was about but joined because she was promised some money in return.
“One of the leaders in Kubi Makaranta asked us to come and join her. I don’t understand what the protest is about, but she said there would be a gift afterward,” she said.
Meanwhile, Alice Samuel, also from Kubi Makaranta, said that more than a hundred members of her community were transported in buses to the venue.
Confused about the reason for the protest, Alice said she had an inkling that the gathering was political.
Alice said the person who brought her to the venue promised to pay her and others between N3,000 and N5,000.
Similarly, Rauta Samson, a middle-aged woman, said she was transported to the Eagle Square with a promise to be compensated with money if she supported Akpabio.
“I’m happy about the money they’ll give me because it will be helpful,” she said.
Maryamu Yahaya, who came from Kobi Sarki in Asokoro, explained that idleness and poverty drove her and her fellow protesters to join the demonstration.
“We were idle at home when our leader called and told us something was happening at Eagle Square and that we would be given money afterward. That’s why we came,” she said.
Maryamu lamented that most of the women who joined the protest, including herself, had no source of livelihood or businesses. She urged the government to empower women so they wouldn’t have to participate in protests they knew nothing about.
However, the secretary of United Women for Good Governance, Enakeme Ojineme, who admitted to mobilising the women, said that she stood in solidarity with the Senate President and the Senate for suspending Akpoti-Uduaghan.
While acknowledging that most of the women didn’t understand the purpose of the protest, Enakemia denied offering them money, insisting that she only promised refreshments.
“I did not hire women to come here today. I mobilised women to join. These are community women who engage with local gatekeepers to advocate for our policies.”
However, the convener of Northern Youths Maja Group, Mujahid Zaitawa, claimed he mobilised people from 19 northern states to support Akpabio as he accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of blackmailing the Senate President over the 2025 budget approval.
The protesters eventually moved to the National Assembly, chanting songs in Akpabio’s support.
The ICIR reported that the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, after her clash with the Senate leadership during plenary over a change in her seat in the Chamber without her consent, which she resisted on February 20.
The female lawmaker was at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) on March 11, seeking international intervention over her suspension from the Senate, which she believes was politically motivated.
Akpoti-Uduaghan spoke at an IPU Assembly held at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Tuesday, where she restated her allegation of sexual harassment by the Senate President.
“I came with a heavy heart from Nigeria. But first, I would like to apologise to Hon. Kafilat Ogbara. I am not here to bring shame to our country, I am here to seek help for the women of Nigeria,” she said.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues.
Sinafi Omanga is a multimedia journalist and researcher with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. He has a keen interest in humanitarian reporting, social justice, and environment.
Twitter handle:
@OmangaSinafi
Email:
somanga@icirnigeria.org