The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been under serious fire following the events that transpired at the LEKKI Toll Gate on Tuesday which many has tipped as a disaster to his political career.
The Governor, who is arguably a listening administrator in the state had imposed a 24 hours curfew after many eruption of violence orchestrated by the EndSARS protest in Lagos.
Few hours after the curfew was imposed, the Nigerian soldiers arrived at the venue where youths were protesting at the LEKKI Toll Gate.
It all ended in chaos after the military opened fire at the unarmed protesters. And Nigerians have been wondering who ordered the army to shoot at unarmed protesters.
When quizzed, Governor Sanwo-Olu said there were forces beyond his control as he doesn’t have the power to order the shooting of unarmed protesters. He however, never provided clarity on who ordered the shooting.
Questions have been asked on how a sitting Governor would be in the state and soldiers shoot at residents without his prior knowledge. This vacuum in clarity have left Nigerians pondering over the involvement of Sanwo-Olu in the mayhem.
It became more worrying and complicating when the Governor claimed that no lives were lost at LEKKI Toll Gate shooting. This comment had many backlashes thereby compelling the Governor to apologize to Nigerians.
While that memory was still fresh, some hoodlums had broken into a warehouse in Mazamaza where the Lagos State Government had stored the COVID-19 palliatives meant for Nigerians.
The videos footage of that ridiculous event went viral, thereby leading to more damage to the Governor’s already deteriorating reputation. Nigerians slammed him for keeping the palliatives and perhaps waiting for it to be distributed during his second term election.
As predicted by Nigerians, the State became defensive by condemning the act of breaking into the warehouse and farting away with palliatives.
While the videos were still trending and discussions on how the Governor was too wicked to have kept the palliatives without distribution was still going on. The presidency released a statement that Buhari was going to address the nation.
He finally did and Nigerians went cold, speechless, in some cases shivering due to the threatening elements found in Mr. President’s address.
Having known that Buhari’s speech only added salt to the wound of Nigerians as he never mentioned the chaos and massacre that occurred in LEKKI Toll Gate. Sanwo-Olu came up with his address.
He wrote in part,
We are working to stabilise things across the state as we look to rebuild. The state team is working with the hospitals and emergency services to verify the details of everyone involved in incidents across the state.
I understand that tempers are high but we are beginning to get a clearer picture of what led us to this point, and I want to ask us to be circumspect to avoid further losses and triggering other sentiments. Do not encourage conflict through parody and innocent but inciteful words.
On our work to end police brutality, our panel is ready to begin work. We want to find justice and provide compensation for victims to the best of our abilities.
Sanwo-Olu’s speech was more empathetic compared to his boss’s and Nigerians began to have mixed feelings over the entire situation.