On Tuesday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State clashed over the issue of hunger and the reasons residents did not participate in a nationwide protest organized by various groups.
Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, addressed the state on July 31, urging residents to maintain peace and avoid the hunger protest, warning that it could lead to violence and disrupt the state’s progress towards shared prosperity.
Meanwhile, the PDP State Chairman, Chief Alaba Agboola, criticized the state’s governance, lamenting the negative impact it has had on the people.
He adduced the reason for the Ekiti people’s actions, saying, “Ekiti people are too hungry to participate in the ongoing nationwide ‘End bad governance’ protest.”
Agboola in an interview with PUNCH Online on Tuesday said, “Before you can go out to protest, you and your family must have something at home that you will eat. Ekiti people are hungry, angry and helpless.
“The fact that they did not go out to protest did not mean they were in agreement with what is going on in the country or with what the state government was doing.
“When somebody is accusing you and you are not talking, it does not mean you are in agreement with what the person is saying, it means you are just watching, you are helpless. The people of Ekiti State are in a helpless situation,” Agboola said.
The PDP state chairman stated that staying at home is also a form of protest. He said, “I disagree with those who believe that our lack of protests in Ekiti signifies support for the state government’s actions.
“No, the people do not agree with the government. They have simply chosen to stay home and observe if the APC government will respond to the people’s concerns and find solutions to the issues we face as a state and as a nation.”
APC State Publicity Secretary Segun Dipe dismissed the PDP’s claims, calling them illogical.
In an interview with PUNCH Online on Tuesday, Dipe stated, “It is when people are hungry that they want to fight. While Ekiti people may not be completely satisfied, they are neither hungry nor starving.”
He explained that the absence of protests in Ekiti was due to the people’s trust in Governor Oyebanji and the quality of governance in the state. “The protesters are calling to ‘end hunger or end bad governance,’ but Ekiti people have chosen not to join. This indicates they see no reason to protest.”
Dipe added, “The people trust their governor. You don’t fight someone you like. The people love the governor, so why should they protest? Why would they fight a governor they believe is performing well—a considerate, people-centered leader who meets their needs?”
He concluded, “Ekiti people are experiencing good governance. They have hope and see the governor’s good works. While they may not be completely satisfied, they are neither hungry nor starving.”
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