Protesters Storm N’Assembly, Demand Annulment of Presidential Election

* Insist on removal, arrest of INEC chairman

Udora Orizu in Abuja

Some protesters on Wednesday stormed the National Assembly in Abuja to express their displeasure over the outcome of the February 25 presidential election in Nigeria.

The aggrieved Nigerians, who carried placards with various inscriptions such as ‘Save our Democracy’, ‘Politicians are killing our Democracy’, ‘INEC killing the Nigerian Democracy’, among others, reiterated their earlier call for the annulment of the 2023 presidential election.

The protest, which took off from the Unity Fountain in Maitama, paralyzed vehicular movements in the heart of the nation’s capital for hours.

The demonstrators, however, met stiff resistance as they were denied entrance into the National Assembly premises by security men.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the National Assembly, who came to address the protesters, said there was no written permission from the group or the relevant authorities, and as such, they will not be allowed into the National Assembly premises.  

The Leader and Co-convener of the Free Nigeria Group, Dr Moses Ogidi Paul, while addressing newsmen, described the Independent National Electoral Commision (INEC) as a failed institution.

He called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of its chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, for supervising what he tagged as a fraudulent presidential election.  

Other members of the group equally expressed their pain over the conduct of the presidential poll. 

This is coming less than 24 hours after the group staged a similar protest to the headquarters of INEC where they demanded the immediate removal of the INEC chairman.