…as pro-Buhari protesters say they were promised N1,000 each.
By Our Reporter
ABUJA – As pro-democracy protesters were being brutalised, some youths who gathered in solidarity with Buhari were later granted access to the heavily guarded Unity Fountain for a rally.
The youth, some of whom wore T-shirts with inscriptions such as “I am for Buhari” and “I stand with Buhari,” were conveyed to the venue in buses and cars, as others were seen with machetes and sticks chanting, “Sai Buhari! Sai Baba!”
One of the youth leaders, Yunusa Yusuf of the All Progressives Congress Grassroots Forum, in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, said, “We are gathered at this solidarity march in celebration of Democracy Day and to show our support for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“As we stand here today, we can boldly and proudly say that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has done more than any administration since the return to democracy in 1999.”
Also, the National President, Youth Coalition for Development, Aminu Aminu, claimed that only mischief-makers were protesting against the present regime.
We were promised N1,000 each, say pro-Buhari protesters
The pro-Buhari protest was, however, marred with violence as a fight broke out among members of the #IStandWithBuhari group, whose leaders were seen in a heated exchange over the disbursement of funds.
Some youths, who participated in the #IStandWithBuhari rally, said they were promised N1,000 each to participate in the rally.
In a video that has since gone viral, two ladies dressed in green branded T-shirts at the venue of the protest said they were still waiting to get their money, speaking in what appeared to be a mocking tone.
One of them said, “Baba Buhari brought us here for N1,000. They promised us N1,000 each. I have not collected my share. I came here for the N1,000.”
As they spoke, a male voice was heard telling them that they were not allowed to grant interviews and the conversation ended abruptly.
In a related development, a lone pro-democracy demonstrator, who took his protest to Buhari supporters at Unity Fountain, was beaten black and blue.
The protester, whose identity could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report, had shown up at the venue with a placard with the inscription “Buhari must resign.”
