Ismail Abdulazeez Mantu Reporting
In a bid to thwart the upcoming nationwide “End Bad Governance” protest, Senator Adams Oshiomhole and his newly found protégé, Monday Okpebholo, are working fervently to prevent the demonstration from taking place in Edo State.
The protest, scheduled to begin on August 1st, 2024, poses a significant threat to their party’s reputation and could severely damage Okpebholo’s already slim chances in the September Governorship Elections.
The planned protests are a response to the severe hardships faced by Nigerians, characterized by a sustained rise in inflation, a cost of living crisis, and high levels of unemployment and insecurity. The nationwide discontent is directed at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which many believe is synonymous with the country’s economic turmoil and escalating unemployment crisis. Under the APC administrations of Buhari and now Tinubu, Nigeria has become the poverty capital of the world. Inflation has soared to an unprecedented 43%, with food inflation hitting 40%, and a bag of rice now costing about N90,000.
In Edo State, the APC’s popularity has plummeted, worsened by Okpebholo’s lackluster campaign and perceived lack of intelligence and vibrancy. The looming protests have spurred the APC to devise strategies to derail the demonstrations, fearing a total collapse of public order. Insider sources reveal that APC Youth Leader Tony Kabaka and other party enforcers have been mobilized to counter any protest attempts in Benin City and its environs, potentially leading to violence and chaos.