The Ogun State government has accused the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of orchestrating the violent protest that erupted in Sagamu town of the State on Monday morning.
The State government claimed that the protest over the new Naira scarcity was politically-motivated, leading to the attack of innocent persons and burning of bank buildings in the town.
A statement e-signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Kunle Somorin, titled, ‘The politically motivated protest in Sagamu’, alleged that disgruntled members of the opposition PDP and candidates were seen leading the demonstration.
“Early this morning, a politically motivated violent protest took place in Sagamu, during which innocent people were attacked while banks and public infrastructures were destroyed and razed down by fire . We were reliably informed that some disgruntled members of the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whose members and some of the party’s candidates were seen leading the demonstration.
“While the protests were purportedly against the “scarcity of naira notes”, the real intention of these elements became obvious with the involvement of known PDP members.
“It is on record that the campaign tour of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which moved through Simawa to Ogijo and back to Sagamu, where two roads were commissioned yesterday, ended without any hitch. The APC rally was attended by tens of thousands of people at different locations, lasting from about 8.00 am. in the morning to 8.00pm in the evening without any violence, quarrels, or disagreements whatsoever.
“We believe strongly that it was the success of the APC rally of yesterday that got the feeble opposition PDP frustrated and therefore made their members embark on the mindless destruction of properties.
“The Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has been on top of the fallouts of the naira re-design issues. The Governor had visited the Central Bank headquarters in Abeokuta and some other commercial banks’ branches, made a state broadcast and empathize with the people with a reassurance that efforts are on to ameliorate the negative impacts of the controversial policy on the people. Ogun State is also one of the states that has taken the Federal Government to court on the naira swap policy.
“Attacks on innocent people and the destruction of private and public properties can not solve the current problem but will rather worsen the situation. Therefore, we must not allow desperate politicians to mislead members of the public and use them as cannons to vent frustration.
“Rather, our people should exercise patience and be law abiding while waiting to cast their votes for the party that has stood by the populace even at this critical period,” he stated.
Somorin, however, added that arrests have been made by the Police and had immediately swung into investigation.
“Ogun State has been acknowledged as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria; and the government shall not fold its hands and allow the state to be defined by thuggery, violence, and arson. The full wrath of the law will be made to bear on the culprits, no matter who their sponsors are,” he stated.
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