Abuja – A Civil Society Organisation under the aegis of “OCCUPYNASSUNLTD’’ on Tuesday, staged a peaceful procession at the National Assembly complex in Abuja demanding for the scrapping of the Senate.
The group also demanded for transparency and accountability in the Nation’s budget process.
The procession which took off from the Unity Fountain, near Transcorp Hilton Hotel, had protesters displaying placards opposing high profile looting of the national treasury by political office holders.
The Co-convener of the protest, Mr Retson Tedhedke, told newsmen that the group was also pressing for the removal of the immunity clause for criminals in elected or appointed offices.
He added that their group was demanding the stoppage of constituency projects and abolition of states and local government joint accounts.
‘’We are registering our displeasure over the myriads of problems that bedevilled the country.
“All arms of government must join the Treasury Single Account (TSA) to check the massive corruption going on in the system.
“Senate should be scraped and make our national assembly a unicameral legislature instead of the bi-camera legislature that we are having now which is too expensive.
‘’We also demand the reversal of the amendment of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) Act by the senate which is self-serving and untimely,’’ Tedhedke said.
He stressed the need to have a legislation that would mandate every government agency to patronise Nigerian products.
“The Rule of law has now become rule of fraud. Politicians should serve and not be served,” he said.
Tedhedke said that the group would continue to occupy National Assembly and some government agencies until the leadership of such agencies listen to its demands.
“We will occupy the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the Judiciary and all Federal Ministries and Agencies.” he said.
Also speaking at the rally, an artiste, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charlie Boy, said he joined the rally to support and encourage youths protesting the gap between the politicians and the governed.
“I urge Nigerian youths to ensure that they retrieve their future from those who have stolen them.
“It is time for Nigerians to speak out in order to stop the corrupt politicians who have stolen the common wealth of the country,’’ he said.
