By Ehichioya Steve Odion
The recent #EndBadGovernance protest, attributed to hardship and hunger, no doubt, will impact on the fortune of the All Progressives Congress , APC, outing in the forthcoming Edo governorship election negatively.
Although the hunger protest was targeted at the Bola Tinubu led federal government, but the gains recorded in the protest by the organizers have started telling negatively on the campaign activities of APC across the streets of Edo State, as the slogan ''a vote for APC is a vote for hardship", has continued to echo across the state.
Feelers from streets have shown that it is a big blow to the party in the state.
Many APC leaders in the state have been making frantic effort in doing damage control. Minister of Niger Delta, Alhaji Abubakar Momoh has been loudest, lamenting over the issue, alleging that it was the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki that sponsored the gathering of the protest at the Ring Road, simply because the governor addressed the protesters.
Abubakar also alleged that the truck loads of rice brought to Edo State by the federal government were been re-bagged by Gov. Obaseki in the name of Edo State government, adding the governor was therefore sabotaging the effort of the Tinubu led government.
However, this allegation has since been debunked by the state government.
But on the other side many groups and other stakeholders in the state applauded Governor Obaseki for the wisdom he explored in coming out to address the protest. They added that such move saved the situation of the protest from turning into violence.
Also, in attempt to stop the protest by APC leaders in the state, the party initially planned to organize pro Tinubu protest across the 18 local government party secretariat. It was learnt that they equally wrote to the Edo State Police Command for protection during the protest. But a night to the protest a press release cancelled the event which it was as a result of security advice by the police authorities.
There is no doubt their actions to counter the hunger protest would have resulted in blood bath as anti Tinubu protesters who came out in large number were prepared for any eventuality. But thank God that APC shelved the planned protest.
As at today while the APC is counting prospective votes loses in the state due to the devastating effect brought to the party by the protest, other candidates are gaining more grounds, especially the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Asue Ighodalo, who is now the major focal candidate as his popularity has continued to soar with huge followership.
There is no doubt that as it is now APC as a party will devote more of its time to damage control which people believe will be difficult for the party and its candidate, Sen. Monday Okpebholo to over come in a long period.
As Edo residents continue to discuss the recent hunger protest and what is going to play out on the election day, some of the APC leaders are having some reservations because they believe that the hardship and hunger protest came at a time the party was struggling in the state to market their candidate who has refused to talk to Edo people and tell them what he has in stock for them.
Except President Bola Tinubu led federal government reverses some of his hash policies and do something urgently to cushion the hardship and hunger the APC led government brought upon the land, it will drastically reduced the votes of the party in the September 21st election.
But with the way things are presently, Tinubu is not seen as performing magic to fully alemiorate the suffering of Nigerians, especially Edo people who have a duty to perform in September 21st through voting in the election.
However, a soothsayer is not needed to predict that if the people go to the polling unit to vote with this present anger in them, it will be a disaster for APC on the election day.
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