Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has said that some “evil political forces” made efforts to hijack the ongoing #EndBadGovernance nationwide protests but protesters in the state shunned them. He commended the protesters for not allowing themselves to be used to create unrest in the state.

In a statement, yesterday, by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke, while conveying his gratitude and solidarity over the peaceful nature of the current protests in the state, assured the protesting groups of his commitment to continuous delivery of good governance.

The statement revealed that the governor gave his appreciation during a meeting with his team on Sunday. The governor said he was elated at the rejection of efforts by dark forces to hijack the protest for their selfish goals, saying that organisers of the protest have exhibited incredible level of patriotism. He, therefore, promised to address some of the grievances of the protesters, adding that he would channel other areas of concerns to President Bola Tinubu.

“I charge them to sustain their upholding of peace. All their submissions will be duly received. We will attend to areas that affect us as a state government and we will take the rest to the President in Abuja.”

MEANWHILE, the protest continued, yesterday, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. Chairman of the Joint Action Front (JAF) in Oyo State, Prof. Ademola Aremu and Acting National Chairperson of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN), Abiodun Bamgboye, along with other activists, while addressing journalists in front of University of Ibadan (UI) gate, criticised President Bola Tinubu’s recent national broadcast that failed to address the core issues faced by Nigerians.

They noted that the achievements highlighted in the broadcast did not result in tangible improvements in the lives of ordinary citizens but also an indication that the Tinubu-led administration is unlikely to address the protesters’ demands.

HOWEVER, a former lawmaker, who represented Ondo Central in the Senate, Ayo Akinyelure, has commended youths in the state for declining to participate in the protest.

Akinyelure said the youths took the right decision to place the peaceful atmosphere of the state above any other hidden agenda. The lawmaker, in a statement he personally signed, therefore, urged the youths not to be lured by those seeking means to cause anarchy in the state under the guise of protest. He said that the state government would soon engage them through its employment scheme.