Gov Adeleke to meet organisers of nationwide protest Monday

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has scheduled a meeting with organisers of the planned nationwide protest on Monday, July 29, 20204.

The meeting, which will come barely three days before the commencement of the proposed demonstrations, will have stakeholders from the security and civil societies in the state in attendance.

This comes as some Nigerians on social media continue to mobilise for the End Band Governance protest billed to take place in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The organisers and intending participants are planning to use the demonstrations to vent their grievances over economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment and other challenges in the country.

This is despite pleas by President Bola Tinubu for the aggrieved citizens to sheath their swords and engage the government in a dialogue that will yield positive outcomes.

As the August 1 kick-off date of the protest draws near, tension has continued to spread across the federation over fears that the process may be hijacked by fifth columnists-.

Adeleke moves to avert protest in Osun

To placate the Osun residents who are planning to join the protest, Adeleke instructed his team to organise a dialogue session for everyone to air their grievances.

This is contained in a statement on Sunday, July 28. 2024, by the governor’s spokesman, Mallam Olawale Rasheed.

Rashed said the government will also reach out to representatives of various civil society groups and student bodies for a dialogue session on the state of the economy.

Adeleke also asked that key members of the police and other security agencies attend the session where stakeholders will be free to make recommendations on grievances and state expected responses from the government at all levels.

“I have instructed my team to organise a dialogue session on Monday where stakeholders can meet as part of peacemaking in the exercise of constitutional rights. The session will allow parties to list grievances and what they expect the government at all levels to do.

“We will convey outcomes of the session to government leaders from myself to Mr President in Abuja. It will also be an opportunity to tell stakeholders what we are doing as a government to resolve the economic hardship facing our people,” Adeleke was quoted as saying," he said.

The Governor reaffirmed his belief in Nigeria's Constitution and the rights and liberties enshrined in it, emphasising the need for peaceful actions which could be achieved through dialogue sessions.

“Osun is a peaceful state where proactive steps are ongoing on food security, economic revival and state building to deliver good governance and dividends of democracy.

“We have to sustain the peace even as we make our feelings about the state of the nation known to the leadership. We will listen and we will act in the best interest of the citizenry.

“In the midst of positive transformation ongoing in our dear state, we cannot afford any criminal hijacking of liberty processions. That is why the Monday dialogue promises to achieve a lot,” he added.