Victor Ezeja
Labour Party Chieftain, Prof. Pat Utomi, has debunked an allegation by Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, that he and Peter Obi are behind a proposed protest tagged ‘EndBadGovernance’.
Utomi in a statement via his verified X handle on Saturday, 20 July 2024, challenged Onanuga to provide evidence of his involvement in the planned protest said to take place in August.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelUtomi, who said he has been resident in Washington DC for months now, where he is engaged with fellowship programmes and other commitments, was not aware of protests being planned in Nigeria.
He expressed surprise at being linked with planning the protests.
He said: “Esteem just collapsed before me. I used to think Bayo Onanuga was a journalist of some standing until I began to receive calls this morning (Saturday) about his accusing me of planning demonstrations for August.
“First I have been resident in Washington DC and occupied by an intense Fellowship for months with additional work on a book project such that I did not even know demonstrations were being planned until I called a senior civil servant in Abuja who I sent a questionnaire on public policy reforms.
“I mentioned I would be in Ghana for events around the AU summit and he said if you will come into Nigeria be careful that demonstrations in August do not make you run into flight disruptions. That is how I heard of protests being planned.
“This morning (Saturday) when I heard about Onanuga’s comment my inclination was to ignore it. But another caller suggested it could be deliberate falsehood to rationalize a sinister plan.
“I would like Mr Onanuga to present any evidence to justify his comment.”
READ ALSO: Onanuga’s Claim Of Obi, LP Link With ‘EndBadGovernance’ Protest False – Party
The Professor of Political Economy expressed his support for peaceful protest as “a legitimate instrument of democracy for raising the voice of citizens.”
He highlighted his participation in a series of protests right from his undergraduate days and even during the June 12 1993 election annulment.
Utomi maintained that if he was involved in the upcoming protests, he would “wear it as a badge of honour and not wait to be called out by Bayo Onanuga.”
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
