By Gideon Njoku
Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has hailed the #EndSARS protesters as the architects of Nigeria’s national rebirth.
The Speaker said this Tuesday on the floor of the House of Assembly.
He also threatened not to sign the 2021 Appropriation Bill which is before the House over two reasons:
* If it does not make provisions for the compensation of families of victims of Police brutalities in the last decade.
*If the agreement between the Academic Staff of Union of Universities and the Federal Government is not captured.
The Speaker was apparently responding to the sorry State of the Nation which, in the past two weeks, almost, pushed thousands of Youths to the streets in an unprecedented protest.
The Youths had started their protest asking for an end to the atrocities meted out on the people and, especially, Youths by the Special Armed Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS.
Apparently, Gbajabiamila also thinks that the long strike by ASUU, which has kept Nigerian University students out of school, contributed to the anger of the Youths.
The Appropriation Bill, when passed by NASS, is usually signed by both the Senate President and the Speaker, before it is transmitted to the President.
Both, at once, appeasing and appealing to the the protesting youths, he asked them to go home, saying the protest has been hijacked by hoodlums and miscreants, but hailed the youths as the “Architects of National Rebirth”.
“Your voice has been heard from Abuja to Washington to the UK, now is the time for you to leave the streets, and get to the round table.”
The Speaker’s stand will likely uplift the spirit of the youths and ASUU. It now depends on how it finally works out.”
