From MAGNUS EZE, Abuja
A coalition of youth groups, the Association of Youths of Nigeria against Corruption (AYONAC) is planning a nationwide solidarity rally for Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, in the face of what they described as obvious harassment and intimidation by the senate.
Spokesman of AYONAC, Phil Roberts, who addressed newsmen, in Abuja, on Thursday, said that the march would hold simultaneously in the 36 state capitals and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with the message: “Nigerian Youths Stand Up against Corruption in Nigeria.”
Noting that there were concerted efforts from some quarters to undermine the anti-graft fight of the present administration, the group said the rally would draw the attention of the international community, the government, and the agents of corruption from Nigeria (living within or outside the shores) that the youth were fed up with the endemic corruption in the country.
They wondered why certain people in the polity, especially the Senate, had failed to see anything good in Magu, in spite of what the acting EFCC boss was doing to re-engineer and reposition the war against graft, which according to them, had won President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration both national and international accolades.
AYONAC unequivocally declared that Osinbajo holds the right to his personal opinion and freedom to exercise his fundamental rights as a citizen of Nigeria, and should not be silenced or cowed by anyone whatsoever.
The group therefore, rejected in its entirety, the recent ultimatum slammed on the Acting President by the senate, ordering him to sack Magu as Acting Chairman of the EFCC.
“We make bold to declare that we shall not rest on our oars and allow power of looters and economic saboteurs to submerge the good intention of this administration in its effort to tame corruption in the land,” the youths vowed.