Thursday actually had no understanding of the issues at stake or the
APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari , according to
reports from England.
And in what appears to be a confirmation of the allegation that the
protesters were hired by government officials to embarrass the APC flag
bearer, some of the protesters were jobless Nigerians and
commercial sex workers who were forced to relocate to England as a
result of the poor economy at home.
A TRIBUNE reporter who covered the protest said of the protesters: “They are
actually Nigerians who are struggling here.Some of them, actually I’m
talking about the ladies, are from the red light district here.
“Some of the youths are actually unkempt…and they are obviously struggling.”
When the reporter asked one of the protesters why he was taking part
in the agitation his response was: “Because we don’t want dictatorship
in Nigeria any more.”
Prodding him further,the reporter asked: “Why?What do you know about the General?”
The protester responded: I just heard about him from the people I saw earlier on.
The interrogation continued thus:
Reporter: You only heard about him? Have you done your home work?
First Protester: Not at all.
Reporter: But how did you come about this protest:
First Protester: I was told. I don’t know what to say.I’m not prepared for this interview.
He stopped talking and walked away.
A female protester, who gave her name as Abigail, admitted that “I don’t really know much about politics.”
But asked why she was protesting,she said: “I came here to support Goodluck Jonathan.
And to the question on why she was supporting Jonathan, she retorted: “I don’t know.”
She was also asked what she had against Buhari, she sighed and said: “I’m not against anyone.”
The reporter’s encounter with a third protester,a lady, went thus:
Reporter: Can you tell us about this demonstration?
Third Respondent: I don’t know. I don’t want to talk.
Like the first respondent, she quietly walked away.
Another protester said she was “doing it for the President.”
Reports before the protest had said a group had requested $20,000
from the Presidency for the purpose of organising the protest and
mobilising people for it.
