A United Kingdom UK-based Nigerian lawyer, has reacted to the now virile video of protests against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan.
He has alleged that the protests against Amupitan, outside Chatham House in London, were not genuine, but a staged demonstration by paid jobbers.
“Some of those involved were wearing Peter Obi-branded memorabilia” UK-based Nigerian lawyer, Dayo Babalola
“The situation eventually attracted the attention of Chatham House security, and when the police were called, the individuals dispersed,” he added.
By his account, the Chatham House encounter was not the only one but that he still encountered the protesters later on Jermyn Street.
“When they saw me, they threw a few insults at me, and I smiled and simply said, ‘At least you guys have now made some small pounds to pay your bills for a few days,’ even as I walked past them,” he said, adding that a man amongst the protesters had a New Democratic Congress insignia.
The lawyer, in a statement on Friday, said the protesters were a small group of between 10 and 15 individuals, and did not Nigerians in the diaspora.
He thus described reports and videos circulating on social media about the incident as a gross misrepresentation of what transpired, insisting that the demonstrators did not reflect the views of Nigerians living in the United Kingdom or the wider diaspora community.
“I find it particularly disappointing that some social media commentators have chosen to amplify a misleading caption without establishing the facts or understanding the context of the incident.
“There is a clear distinction between a legitimate protest and an attempt to manufacture a narrative for political propaganda.
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“Let the facts speak for themselves: Professor Amupitan attended Chatham House, made his presentation, answered questions and participated in the panel discussion.
“A small group subsequently staged a demonstration outside the venue. Those two events should not be misrepresented as one, nor should the actions of a handful of individuals be attributed to Nigerians in the diaspora.”
However, Babalola said the demonstration took place after the formal engagement and should not be presented as an interruption or disruption of the event.
“Some of those involved were wearing Peter Obi-branded memorabilia. The situation eventually attracted the attention of Chatham House security, and when the police were called, the individuals dispersed.
“What happened outside the venue afterwards should not be deliberately conflated with the quality, substance or outcome of the official engagement,” he said.
According to him, there were close to 200 participants, mostly Nigerians who had registered for the event physically, in addition to 374 people that joined online, adding that Amupitan was not disgraced.
“I find it particularly disappointing that some social media commentators have chosen to amplify a misleading caption without establishing the facts or understanding the context of the incident.
“There is a clear distinction between a legitimate protest and an attempt to manufacture a narrative for political propaganda.
“Let the facts speak for themselves: Professor Amupitan attended Chatham House, made his presentation, answered questions and participated in the panel discussion.
“A small group subsequently staged a demonstration outside the venue.
“Those two events should not be misrepresented as one, nor should the actions of a handful of individuals be attributed to Nigerians in the diaspora.”
Reports of the protest emerged after a group of demonstrators gathered outside the venue as the INEC chairman was leaving, reportedly blocking his vehicle and demanding that he address allegations of irregularities in the voters’ register.
The protesters were also reported to have called for his resignation, accusing the electoral commission of compromising its independence.
The Eagle Newsmedia reports that the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Joash Amupitan, was in Chatham House London for an election-related event:“Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot,” when he was confronted by protesters with invectives suggesting that he had taken a partisan position in Nigeria’s upcoming general elections next year.
Cami Ezenwa is a Writer, Editor, Publicist, Biographer and Journalism Trainer
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