A Lawmaker representing Edo North Senatorial District, Senator Adams Oshiomhole has revealed how President Tinubu allocated 570 billion naira and trucks of rice to state governments for quick-win palliatives as a response to alleviate the people’s suffering. Contrasting this situation to when he was the NLC President, he stated that the former President Olusegun Obasanjo never shared rice to people.
He highlighted that the current government while recognizing the immediate distress of its citizens has implemented short-term measures to provide relief. He identified that substantial change cannot be enforced overnight or after a brief protest. He argued that his historical protests never aimed to overthrow the government but rather to address specific policy issues.
He said in an interview with Arise TV From 12:24, ”If the President acknowledged that there is hunger, who are you to deny it? So that is not the issue and that is not the main reason behind this protest. And why do you think that President Tinubu resorted to giving state government 570 billion naira for quick win palliative. In my days as NLC President, I don’t know how many times Obasanjo went to buy rice to distribute to Nigerians. He would rather say go and farm which is the legitimate thing to do.
But this Government realizing the pain of the people have had to result to these measures in the short run. And in the long run, it will be about producing what we eat and we eat what we produce. But this cannot be decreed after just 10 days protest. At no time time in my protest history did I demand that there should be regime change. If I see politicians trying to hijack the protest, I will always say we are not here to change the policy matter. When you have an anonymous group leading a protest, then the protest is not a legitimate one.”….Sêe_Morē