• PDP behind hate campaign against president, APC

By Iheanacho Nwosu, Fred Eze, Abuja and Wole Balogun, Ekiti 

Conveners of ResumeOrResign campaign, an anti President Muhammadu Buhari protesters, yesterday gave the president 21 days to return to Nigeria and resume office or resign completely.
They threatened that failing which they will approach the court to seek mandamus to compel the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to set up a committee to investigate the state of health of the president.
The groups’ new demand was coming a day after popular musician, Charles Oputa, also known as Charlie Boy and another member of the anti-Buhari protesters were attacked at Wuse market, Abuja.  A statement by Oputa and Deji Adeyanju, co-conveners of  OurMumuDonDo Movement and Concerned Nigerians also announced the suspension of the groups ‘ protests in Abuja.
Instead of holding the protests in Abuja, they said the rallies will now hold in Lagos, London and United States of America.
The statement read: “We, hereby, demand that President Buhari returns to the country and resume duty as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria within 21 days from today, or he resigns completely from office to enable him return to Daura to take care of his ill health.” They threatened: “Should the president be unable to comply with any of the aforementioned demands within 21 days, we will approach a court seeking an order of mandamus to compel the Federal Executive Council to set up a committee in line with section 144 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), to appraise the health of President Buhari and, subsequently, determine whether or not he can continue to discharge his presidential functions as enshrined in the constitution.” The groups’ leaders said “following  the spate of violent attacks by officers of the Nigerian Police Force and paid hoodlums on our #ResumeOrResign daily sit-outs and peaceful processions in various parts of Abuja, it has become necessary to announce a suspension of our daily activities in the city.
“This temporary suspension is to enable us restrategise on ways to make our processions less open to such violent attacks and to better ensure the safety of all our members and other participants at our sit-outs and peaceful processions in future. “This is also to make known our good intention and unreserved commitment to promote peace and unity in our beloved country. We believe this decision will help in dousing the unnecessary ethnic tension being stoked by the cabal holding Nigeria to ransom.”
They further while their daily sit-out will be suspended temporarily in Abuja, it will continue at the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, Lagos, between 0900hrs –1000hrs daily; New York (Front of the Nigerian consulate, 828 Second Avenue); and vigil will also be held in front of the Abuja House in London on Friday by 1700hrs.
Meanwhile, supporters of President Buhari yesterday accused the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of sponsoring the hate campaign and protest against the ailing president.
The large number of youths, who claimed to be from Niger Delta region, defiled the early morning rain in Abuja to assemble at the Unity Fountain from where they marched to the Presidential Villa with the protection of policemen.