#EndBadGovernance: Ondo residents adamant about not protesting despite calls by Sowore

Despite calls to join the #EndBadGovernance nationwide protest by one of its leaders, Omoyele Sowore, Ondo State residents, on Monday, refused to come out to protest.

Mr Sowore had in a social media post, hinted that a protest was imminent in Akure on Monday.

“Akure is now on board Monday, 5 August NEPA Roundabout,” he had stated in the post.

Although banks and other financial institutions did not open early in the day for fear of attacks, other businesses and markets were opened.

Vehicular movements went unhindered as no protesters gathered anywhere in the state for protest.

Organisers of the protest in Ondo State had pulled out of the protest, citing security reports of plans to burn businesses owned by non-indigenous persons.

Other concerned parties, such as the Ondo State Students Association, drivers’ unions, and youth groups had also announced their non-participation, ending any likelihood of the protest in the state.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had earlier stated that Ondo people were hungry and needed to join the protest.

The Publicity Secretary of the party, Kennedy Peretei, in a statement issued in Akure, alleged that the State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, induced the youths, traditional rulers and others to shun the protest.

Mr Peretei said Mr Aiyedatiwa should stop playing to the gallery on the alleged botched protest across the state.

The statement followed Mr Aiyedatiwa’s commendations to Ondo residents for shunning the protest.

However, the Ondo State Government has accused Mr Sowore, who is also an indigene of the state, of conniving with the opposition PDP to truncate the peace in the state.

The Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Sunday Ibire, said the statement by the PDP was inciting, and discredited the path of peace chosen by the people instead of going about looting and destroying properties.

“The #EndBadGovernance protests that broke out across the country on Thursday, 1 August 2024 have left further misery, anguish and death in many cities.

“As of the last count, more than 17 deaths have been recorded with hundreds in several health facilities receiving treatment. 24-hour curfews have been declared in Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Zamfara and Bornu States due to the wanton destruction of public and private properties and lives in the course of the protests

“Since government exists basically to protect lives and properties, Governor Aiyedatiwa should have been praised by PDP and its members for averting the terrible outcome of the protest as highlighted by Peretei in his spurious press statement in Ondo State.

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“God is kind to the people of Ondo State as the evil plan hatched at Brentford, United Kingdom by the PDP and friends of Omoyele Sowore to disrupt the peace of Ondo state has been uncovered. It is clear that those planning to protest in Akure on 5 August have a sinister agenda other than engendering good governance,” Mr Ibire said.

The governor’s aide also alleged that there were plans to import protesters from neighbouring states since it was already a known fact that the Ondo people had decided not to participate in the protest.

He called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, students and youths of Ondo state to ignore the plan being hatched to resurrect the protest in Ondo.

“The voices of Nigerians have been heard loudly and it’s time to give our leaders enough time to bring about the positive change that we all yearn for,” Mr Ibire added.