Quite clearly, the scheduled August 1st Nationwide protest has triggered a palpable fear and a nagging unease within the rank and file of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) both locally in Edo State and Nigeria in general.
The desperation to stop the protest from holding has reached fever pitch and this is totally embarrassing for our democracy.
In Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, Monday Okpebholo, Jarret Tenebe and other notable APC leaders have been having sleepless nights, holding marathon meetings to forestall the protests from taking place. They have even mobilised the likes of Tony Kabaka and other notorious APC thugs to disrupt the protests and ensure that any attempt to protest will end in violence.
The irony is that even the usually taciturn APC Governorship Candidate, Okpebholo a.ka. Akpakomiza, who has been mute and invisible in the public space on his plans for Edo State has suddenly found his voice and now issuing press Statements threatening Edo people not to protest against Tinubu and APC’s bad governance.
Monday Okpebholo and his minions who issue statements on his behalf should stop threatening Edo people over the imminent protest against bad governance. He should tell his party APC to stop the hardship on innocent Nigerians.
Edo people did not ask for 40% food inflation or 100% increase in the prices of petroleum products and other essential commodities. Edo People did not ask APC to raise fuel to over 700 Naira per liter. Edo people cannot be buying a bag of Rice for N90,000 naira. Like other Nigerians, they are simply victims of the hunger, poverty and bad governance by the APC.
These are the issues APC should address rather than spending money to hire Tony Kabaka and other thugs to stop people from protesting.
Just like a student who has failed to read will have a morbid fear for forthcoming examinations, the APC are thoroughly afraid of the people in a democracy expressing their anger and dissatisfaction with the APC government through peaceful protests.
They have done everything possible to dissuade people from joining the protest; from media appearances by FG appointees and Party Chieftains to stern warnings from heads of security agencies. Threats, blackmail, false allegations of sponsorship, APC have used every trick inside and outside the box to stop Nigerians from lawfully expressing themselves through peaceful protests.
Omorodion Joseph, Social Commentator
Ekosodin, Benin City