Protests: Governor Dapo Abiodun Under Fire Over “Nigerians are Sore Losers” Comment
- Ogun state governor, Dapo Abiodun, had said those dissatisfied with the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should wait for a change in government in 2027
- Legit.ng reports that Nigeria’s inflation hit 34% under President Tinubu’s watch, while food prices have continued to spike astronomically
- Reacting to Abiodun's comment, a prominent human rights organisation, Amnesty International, criticised the Ogun governor
Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering public affairs.
FCT, Abuja - Amnesty International Nigeria has condemned the remarks by Dapo Abiodun after the Ogun state governor said, “Nigerians are sore losers.”
Abiodun said President Bola Tinubu had majorly won the 2023 election and hinted that his political opponents craving a change of government should wait until the next general election in 2027.
Source: Facebook
Amnesty International tackles Gov Abiodun
Defending Tinubu, Abiodun stated that the current reality was not peculiar to Nigeria alone. But Amnesty International took exception to Abiodun's remarks.
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In a statement on Saturday morning, August 3, the human rights organisation lamented that reducing the 'End Bad Governance' protesters' concerns on hunger and deep poverty to politics "is an unacceptable deliberate false insinuation".
Amnesty International wrote on X:
"People are on the streets not for politics, as the governor insinuated mischievously, but demanding better life and accountability, as Nigeria’s annual inflation hits new 28-year high of 33.95% in May, worsening hardships that drive millions of people to the brink of starvation.
"Nigeria’s current economic chaos came with unprecedented inflation that triggers high cost of food, medicine and hike in electricity tariff and tuition fees of public universities. These are placing undue stress on families, businesses, and communities.
"Nigerian government officials and politicians must desist from harmful rhetorics aimed at delegitimizing peaceful protests and protesters. Instead they should listen to critics and pay more attention to improving the rapidly declining living standard of Nigerians."
Legit.ng reports that Dapo Abiodun is currently trending on X, with many social media users criticising him.
Read more on hardship protests
- Protests: Dele Momodu speaks on possibility of Tinubu declaring state of emergency
- "'EndBadGovernance' Protest has already achieved 25% of its purpose", prominent activist declares
- Lagos police disclose time hardship demonstration must end, “hijack of the protests”
Tinubu speaks amid protests
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that amid the hardship protest in several Nigerian states, President Tinubu said his administration was currently “undertaking bold economic policies to propel Nigeria's economy out of the downturns occasioned by multiple shocks in the global economy”.
Tinubu who spoke on Friday, August 2, when he declared the 2024 African Caucus meeting open called for global cooperation among African countries to tackle their shared economic problems.
Read also
Shehu Sani speaks out as deaths, destruction mar Nigeria's hardship protests: "Scores dead"
Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.
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Source: Legit.ng
