By Ayodele Oni

The nationwide protest over economic hardship confronting Nigerians occasioned by  President Bola Tinubu’s harsh economic hardship kicked off  on Thursday, as planned by the organizers.

In Osun State,  protesters who defied early morning downpour, assembled at the popular Olaiya flyover in Osogbo as early as 8am to begin their procession.

The protesters were armed with placards with different inscriptions such as “revert petrol price to pre-May 2023”, “end bad governance” “palliatives cannot save us”, “cut salaries of political office holders”, among others.

Men of the Department of State Security, Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, Nigerian Army, among others were sighted giving the protesters needed covers.

In Ondo and Ekiti  states, commercial activities were paralyzed in Akure and Ado Ekiti as people including civil servants remained at home over possible break down of law and order.

No protester gathered along Oba Adesida Road the usual assembly in Akure, while the Fajuyi Park in Ekiti state capital, the take off centre for such event in the past was deserted.

Shops, offices, shopping complexes, supermarkets and banks are under lock as some staff members were seeing hanging around to monitor the situation.

Security operatives such as police officers, men of the NSCDC and Amotekun corps were seeing manning strategic places on major roads in Akure.

In some motor parks visited few buses were seeing still stranded without getting passengers to embark on any of the available trips.

A few taxis and tricycles operating are either empty or conveying between one and two passengers.

At Oja Oba, few market women were seeing with skeletal display of goods

Some traders who spoke under the condition of anonymity said they have been warned not to open shops because there could be breakdown of law and order.

Security personnel also were seen positioned at strategic locations and at identified flash points to maintain law and order during the protest, whole some embarked on patrolling major roads within the state capital as a show of Strenght.

Major organizers of the protest under the group known as Concerned Revolutionary Youths, the organizers of #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria had yesterday pulled out of planned protest in Ondo State.

Briefing newsmen in Akure of the decision to withdraw from the planned protest, the State Secretary of the group in Ondo State, Ogundipe Seyi Olaniyi, said the decision followed the interventions of prominent indigenes of the state.

Ogundipe said the group was neither induced financially or intimidated, but resolved to pull out of the planned protest due to the interventions and security reports that some groups were preparing to hijack the protest to settle ethnic scores.

By Ayodele Oni

The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in Osun State has exonerated Governor Ademola Adeleke over claim by the All Progressives Congress, (APC)  that Governor Ademola Adeleke is fraternizing with EndBadGovernance protesters to embarrass the federal government under President Bola Tinubu.

The PDP in a statement by Sunday Bisi, its Chairman stated that the issue is a sensitive one and should be used to play politics.

Bisi added “We understand the fact that Osun APC chairman, Tajudeen Lawal and his lifeless advisers are too idle to be wise, but it is essential that their mental pluggings are not sent on sabbatical while making public comments on sensitive matters of wellbeing and security especially.

“Nigerians are not animals and the nation is not premised solely on the jungle system of force as APC is used to.

“A responsible government will not sit back and refuse to engage its people for constructive deliberations when confronted with valid agitations. It is the global best standard in crisis management and not the Apc option of ‘Kill and Go”.

“As a party, we commend the state Governor for his proactive and matured handling of the issues bordering on the planned protest, which essentially was aimed at safeguarding the people of Osun State.

“We also commend the state government under Governor Ademola Adeleke for his transparency in handling and distribution of palliative items accrued to the state so far, the latest of which was explicitly made public by the ministry of information some days ago.

“We specially commend his Excellency for ensuring prompt payment of charges on the said palliatives, which amounted to several millions of naira in order to access the food items for the downtrodden in the state.”

The ruling Party also explained the issues of funds raised by the opposition, revealing what the government of Adeleke is doing with it.

“The state government has not only distributed the food items transparently but had also effected cash awards to the state workforce and pensioners alike, running well over N2 billion now admitted by the APC, after rigmaroling around several unfounded figures.

“We stand in confidence that the state Governor, Asiwaju Ademola Adeleke will continue to discharge his duties conscientiously, in line with the human face pact signed with the people of Osun State.”

By Akinwale Kasali

Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi,  human rights activist and the convener of Apostolic Roundtable,  has raised an alarm over a purported plot to attack non-Yoruba resident in Lagos especially the Igbos during the  nationwide protests against hunger.

This was as he called on ‘strangers’ in the nation’s economic capital, Lagos, to stage a sit-at-home disposition in the course of the protest, saying there was a premonition that some hired thugs were out to unleash mayhem on the innocent non-speaking Yoruba Nigerians in the Lagos.

According to him, the precarious situation the country currently finds itself was a consequence of the undue quest for one man to grab power by all means with the, “Emilokan” mantra.

The Yoruba clergy spoke in a statement he issued in Enugu, on Wednesday night, saying, “In the reality of the life of the biggest nation on the continent is how a lion adopted the character of a tortoise and initiated emilokan dance, sold it as awa lokan, to his tribe.”

The statement reads in part, “Yet, “Oro” voices are heard from their grottoes forbidding the youth from protesting and then threatening strangers in, “a o merin joba land”.

“Cracks in the wall of the nation are ignored, consequently the crumbling of the structure that may bury all alive.

“Restructuring of our federation vis-a-vis the suspension of the 1963 CFRN and incorporating the 2014 Conference reviews was a stitch meant for yesterday to save today; but it was ignored! The tears in our garments as widened. Would a stitch in time, of “#EndBadGovernance” cry save nine?”

He further averred that President Tinubu would have avoided the crises bedeviling the country if he acted faster on marrying the 1963 Constitution and implementing the recommendations of the 2014 Constitution Review Conference convened by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

It added, “Will the BAT of mystery and mischief reach for the needle and the thread to knit the 1963 constitution with 2014 Conference to give Nigeria a new life. The government is not what the youths are demanding to end, rather bad governance.

“If “#EndBadGovernance” is successfully suppressed, “end bad Government” may be an inevitable consequence of the docility of government to end the bad, for the good.

“Intelligences on this proposed protest is damming. From the streets, I glean the determination of the ewe ku ewele tribe to work with the tribe up the northern river to torment the Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo tribe.

“Save lives by giving Nigeria, not our wicked leader, this last chance to survive. May I appeal to all friends of the leader to please tell him to end bad governance!

“A sit-at-home protest is my recommendation to all parents and youths alike. With a “sit-at-home” protest, we are bound to have the same result.”