Cash, fuel shortage: Makinde halts re-election campaign as violent protesters storm Oyo secretariat

By Wale Akinselure

The protesters stormed the state secretariat of Oyo, Ibadan on Friday, vandalized property in sight and incited violence against any human who tried to obstruct their march.

In the wake of Friday’s protests in the state capital Ibadan, Governor Seyi Makinde announced that his re-election campaign would be suspended indefinitely.

With sticks, wood and other dangerous weapons, the demonstrators forced open the two main gates of the secretariat while security officers took cover.

It was a chaotic scene at the State Secretariat with officials and people within the Secretariat looking for safety.

The enraged protesters then made their way to the governor’s office, where they attempted to force the gate. As the protest lasted, the demonstrators built bonfires around the State Secretariat.

To fierce resistance from the officers on duty who fired shots into the air, the protesters resorted to throwing stones and other dangerous weapons into the governor’s office.

A police officer attached to the governor’s office was injured in an attack by protesters.

The officer had tried to convince the demonstrators by preaching calm, but was shocked when he received a hail of stones, injuring him.

The rapid intervention and back-up of Operation Burst men and the police team saved what would have been a major crisis.

The demonstrators vociferously declared that the protest was against the hardships they faced due to scarcity of cash and fuel.

Speaking to Governor Seyi Makinde after the protest, Mr Sunday Odukoya, Executive Assistant for Security, lamented the violent turn the protest took and called for calm.

Governor Makinde announced that he would indefinitely suspend his re-election campaign shortly after flagging down the 10-kilometer Omi Adio-Ido road in Ido local government, saying he could not campaign because the people are facing unnecessary hardships are confronted.

The governor was due to campaign in Ido Local Government on Friday, while the campaign train would move to Oluyole Local Government on Saturday.

A statement from the chief press secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, on behalf of the council’s media committee for the governor’s re-election campaign, quoted him as saying, “I appreciate all the leaders and stakeholders who are ready for the campaign activities for today and I thank you for coming to meet us here today.

“But unfortunately I have no choice but to suspend our campaign. So after this flag I am going home as there are protests in the city and there is a lot of hardship with this issue of the scarcity of the new Naira notes.

“Many of our people have money in the bank, but they can’t get their money. Some of us who campaign don’t have access to funds, maybe they don’t want us to campaign.

“But I have promised the people of Oyo state that I will continue to work for them until the last minute of the last day of my term. I work for them and what this means is that when there are hardships and people are protesting I shouldn’t be on the campaign trail. I should go there and represent their interests.

“I have told those in power that EndSARS will be child’s play if we don’t put politics aside and face governance fairly, with the scarcity of Naira notes and growing frustration. I pray that the leaders in this country will come together.