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Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
A fomer commissioner for works and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Chief Dele Okeya, has appealed to Protesting Youths in the state and in the Southwest to embrace peace and dialogue in order to save Ekiti State and the Southwest from any form of theatricality of war.
Okeya, in a statement personally issued to Daily Sun, on Saturday, said he subscribed to the legitimate demands of the protesters but condemned in strong terms the destruction of lives and property that have trailed the entirety of the protest in the state and other states in the southeast ” Chief Okeya who agreed that the demands of the youths were legitimate, however, decried the wanton destruction of lives and properties in parts of the Southwest, especially Lagos State, and urged Youths to sheath their swords in the interest of peace, progress and development in Ekiti State in particular and the Southwest in general.
“Many properties and assets destroyed in Lagos and other parts of the Southwest were our patrimony, our pride and proof of our enviable sophistication, enlightenment, advancement and development which should be jealously guarded.”
Okeya hinted that there are some human elements hiding under the legitimate protests to cause havoc on the state and southwest “there are people who do not wish us well and are hiding under the current youth legitimate protests to unleash terror and destruction on our communities and on our pride.”
He appealed to Nigerian youths to allow government the time to address their demands, having observed government’s consent to the demands ” Okeya observed that government had acceded to the genuine protests and agitations of the Nigerian Youths, hence the need to give government time to address them one after the other in the interest of progress and sustainable development.
He, however, condemned the unprovoked shooting by Soldiers at unarmed peacefullly protesting youths at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State and also condemned the looting and the unwarranted destruction of private and public properties by hoodlums as well as the several attacks on innocent citizens.
He, therefore, urged Government to as a matter of urgency find a lasting solution to the problems, adding that current situation needed urgent attention.
Okeya enjoined traditional rulers, chiefs and the good people of Ekiti State to support the Governor Kayode Fayemi-led administration for more meaningful progress and accelerated development of the state.
