Banned rally to go ahead
2004-05-03 13:20
Abuja - A coalition of Nigerian opposition groups was preparing on Monday to organise a mass street rally against the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo, in defiance of a police order banning the march.
Many opposition parties claim that last year's presidential and state governorship elections - the first since the west African giant's return to civilian rule - were rigged, and refuse to recognise Obasanjo's rule.
On Monday, thousands of protesters were planning to gather at the National Stadium on the outskirts of the capital Abuja and to march to Eagle Square, a parade ground in the central administrative district of the city.
"The march will go ahead, it is still on," said Balarabe Musa, protest organiser and presidential candidate of the opposition People's Redemption Party. "We will not negotiate with a government we do not recognise."
Nigeria's police have refused to grant the planned rally a permit and have deployed three thousand extra officers to the capital in a bid to head it off.
But by 09:45 (08:45 GMT) there was no sign of any extra police presence around Eagle Square and no sign of any protesters gathering at the stadium. Musa said it was possible that police were preventing marchers reaching the city.
Nigerian street demonstrations often turn violent, and tensions are running particularly high in Abuja at the moment after military investigators announced a probe into an alleged plot against the government among army officers.