Several groups supporting President Bola Tinubu’s administration yesterday held a protest march in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, to counter the just-ended #EndBadGovernance nationwide protests in the country.
The protest march, held under the auspices of the state’s ‘Renewed Hope Family’, involved members of over 20 pro-Tinubu groups that cut across different political parties.
LEADERSHIP observed that the protesters marched from Port Harcourt Polo Club through Tombia Street, GRA, Ikwerre Road, Azikiwe Road and Forces Avenue before getting to Port Harcourt Club, also located along Forces Avenue.
Addressing the protesters in front of Port Harcourt Club, Chief Tony Okocha, the leader of the Renewed Hope Agenda in the state, said the peaceful protest was to counter the alleged recent sponsored protest in the state.
Okocha said: “I didn’t think that I should speak today. What else would I say when previous speakers have said everything? I want to say a few things: While we saw people flying the flag of Russia, we flew the Nigerian flag in Rivers State.
“Our business today, I am sure you are witnesses to the mammoth crowd. I don’t know how to thank them enough; at their own volition, with their freeness of heart, they came in this large number. You saw how successful and peaceful the procession was. This is what we call protest or whatever you call it.
“We are marching for Mr President. We want to clean the typical rot with the August 1 to 10 protest. Imagine that in Rivers State, you all know and you are from here, Rivers State has never been an epi-centre of protest or demonstration. Am I lying?
“I was very active in the SARS protest. Did you see the SARS protest in Rivers State being as profuse and excruciating as you saw? So, there must be a reason; that reason is the fact that the man who funded, the man who sponsored and the man who held midnight meetings with the youths is the only person that benefited from the 10 days of inactivity in Nigeria, particularly in Rivers State.”
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