Activist-lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa yesterday said the police could not stop the planned February 6 mass rally organised by popular musician, 2Face Idibia (2Baba).
He was reacting to reports credited to Lagos State Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni that the Monday rally would not hold.
Adegboruwa said he considers it an attempt to intimidate would-be participants.
“For the information of the police commissioner, Nigeria is a democratic country governed strictly in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
“I believe that Mr Fatai Owoseni has a copy of the constitution, to guide his actions and utterances on this matter, instead of threatening innocent and law abiding citizens, who are responsible for his salary,” Adegboruwa said.
According to him, the issue of police permit for citizens to gather freely, expired with the coming into force of the 1999 Constitution.
“We cannot now go back to the military era of shutting up citizens from legitimate expressions. I, therefore, urge the good people of Nigeria, especially those who reside in Lagos, to join us at Ikeja, for the rally.
“We cannot be intimidated in our own country, by the same people who are paid to protect us. This is not a rally by miscreants or thugs.
“The statutory duty of the police is to offer us protection on Monday and help to maintain orderliness, throughout the period of the rally.”