Ondo State Government Accused of Bribing Residents to Stay Away from Anti-Government Protests
A heated controversy has erupted in Ondo State, Nigeria, after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of financially inducing residents to refrain from participating in the nationwide EndBadGovernance protest. The protest aims to raise awareness about the alleged mismanagement of the country’s resources and the impact it has on the people.
According to Kennedy Peretei, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP, the governor has been distributing cash to some individuals, including students’ leaders, clerics, and others, to prevent them from joining the protest. This move is seen as an attempt to silence the voices of the people and suppress their concerns about the state of the economy and governance.
Peretei highlighted that Ondo State is in dire need of the protest, given the current state of the administration, which has reportedly left the state in a state of crisis. He also criticized the governor for failing to account for the N5 billion received from the Federal Government as a palliative measure after the withdrawal of fuel subsidies.
The monthly allocation from the Federation Account, which averages N10 billion every month since December 2023, has allegedly had no impact on the state, with last month’s allocation being N11 billion.
In response to the allegations, Steve Otaloro, the Director of Publicity of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, described the PDP’s disappointment as coming from their failure to incite unrest in Ondo State. He also urged the PDP to respect the decisions of individuals and groups in the state who chose to remain peaceful.
The APC in Ondo State stands by the people’s decision to remain peaceful and will continue to work with the government to ensure the state’s development.
