#RevolutionNow: Sowore knows fate tomorrow

.As Court sets to rule on his detention order

.APC Govs condemn RevolutionNow protest, allege protest instigated by foreign nations

Andrew Orolua, Abuja with agency report

An Abuja Federal High Court will, on Thursday, rule in the application filed by the Department of State Service (DSS), seeking an order to detain Mr. Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC)’s presidential candidate in the 2019 general election, and the Convener of #RevolutionNow protests, for 90 days pending the conclusion of its investigation.

In an ex-parte order with number: FHC/ABJ/CS/915/19, Counsel to the DSS, G. O. Agbadua, told Justice Taiwo Taiwo that a video clip evidence was also attached to the application.

He urged the judge to grant the application seeking to detain the publisher of Sahara Reports beyond 48 hours as required by the law.

Justice Taiwo, who adjourned the matter until August 8, said the development was to enable him watch the video clip before delivering his ruling.

Recall that Sowore, the Convener of #RevolutionNow protests, was on August 3 arrested by the DSS and moved to Abuja on August 4 for the protests he intended to hold across the country.

He was arrested by DSS operatives over his calls for nationwide protests against the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.

The Sahara Reporters founder accused the current government of badly managing the affairs of the country and called on Nigerians to reject the wickedness of the establishment.

The security agency accused him of threatening the harmony of the nation by plotting to overthrow a democratically elected government.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum and Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, has condemned the #RevolutionNow protest embarked upon by the Global Coalition for Security and Democracy in parts of the country.

Gov. Bagudu, who made the position of the forum known to journalists in Abuja, said that democracy is the best form of government for the country.

He said: “Any call for disorder in a democratic setting is condemnable because democracy as the saying goes is not the best form of government, but it is the best that we have because it gives opportunity periodically for the electorate to exercise their mandate in affirming or rejecting leaders.

“We have just come through a general election in March where Nigerians embraced the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari and he has been elected for a second term with a little more vote than they did in 2015. Also, state governors were elected in different states; some of them for a second term while others have just come in for their first term.”

“Interestingly enough, we have seen all kinds of democratic outcomes in the past and the present democratic setting compares favourably, particularly in our democratic setting.

“We have first termers defeating second termers and in the case of one state, the Supreme Court exercising their power as the highest court in the land to determine what should be and it is respected by the government.

“So, to celebrate the evolution of our democracy, we are progressing from one mandate to the other. In the last few years, Nigeria has faced economic downturn which has been occasioned by changes in global economy.”

He recalled that the world began to witness recession in 2008 that affected many countries and in 2011, “Nigeria had a wage increase, so you have economic downturn in the world and you have a wage increase which is commendable, but the effects of the two continue to hit hard and then in 2014, we also had another economic crisis.”

Bagudu also pointed out that there are better ways of channelling grievances, instead of calls for revolution.

“We have institutions that have been created to express discontent and once people take up the law to their hands rather than expressing it through the right channel.

“We all have representatives why don’t they go in front of the House or office of their representatives so that they can raise the point and demands, so that their representatives whether councillor, state House of Assembly or National Assembly members take their grievances to the House instead of taking the law into their hands,” the governor added.

He reminded the protesters of the need to respect the rights of other peace loving citizens whose rights are likely to be affected, adding that they are entitled to be protected and that involves authority showing restraint to ensure that things did not go out of hand.

The governor also noted that there were pointers to the fact that the calls for the revolution were instigated form outside Nigeria.