Protest: APC Mocks Peter Obi, Hails Gov Alex Otti

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has mocked the former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi and hailed Abia State Governor, Alex Otti because of their stands on the August planned protest.

Naija News reported that Peter Obi, who paid a visit to Governor Alex Otti, in his country home, Nvosi, Isialangwa South Local Government Area, backed the planned protest against President Bola Tinubu’s government.

Obi, speaking to Channels TV, said protest is an enshrined right of the citizens. He said the duty of government remained to address the concerns of the citizens.

He advised the government to listen and address the demands of the citizens. Obi added that the planned protest is fuelled by hunger in the country caused by the government’s policies.

On his part, the host, Governor Otti, differed from the former governor of Anambra State. Otti said while protest remains the right of the citizen and there is hunger, protest should not be the option for settlement.

Otti told Channels TV, “It would be very unfair to say things are not difficult now. Things are very difficult, that is true, but how do you solve the problem? The problem we find ourselves in the country today is economic. We are actually paying the price for bad governance that didn’t start today.

“First of all, for you to organize a protest, the law requires that you get approval from security forces, particularly the police. Somebody should take responsibility for getting that approval.

“So, if you don’t have the approval, it will be against the law to go out on the streets and protest. My final word is that people should think about the implications of pouring out on the streets, restricting the movement of other people and inflicting more hardship.

“For people in Abia, my advice is that people should not pour out on the street, because it may be more hurtful than the reason for the protest people are calling for.”

Reacting to Obi and Otti’s different opinions on the planned protest, the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Felix Morka, said the Labour Party’s only governor in Nigeria was a worthy leader.

Felix Morka described Peter Obi as a restless election loser. He added that Obi hoped he would win election on wild streets through the protest.

“As Peter Obi incites planned protest, 10 days of rage, Gov Alex Otti rejects protest, contrasting profiles of Peter Obi a restless election loser and Alex Otti worthy leader of his people. It is extreme folly to think you can win on wild wild streets what you lost at the polls,” Morka wrote on his X handle on Sunday.