There was some drama when Governor Seyi Makinde joined the protest rally staged by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Ibadan, Oyo state, on Tuesday.
The drama ensued when the NLC protest train, which took off from the NLC Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, made a stopover to address members of the public, where the governor showed up.
As governor Makinde approached to mount the roundabout where the labour leaders stood, some of those on the protest train resisted, arguing that with the argument that the governor was part of the leadership that imposed hardship on Nigerians.
The section of protesters rebuffed appeals of both the Oyo labour leaders and the governor, stating that the governor should be asked leave so they can continue their protest rally undeterred.
The drama continued for about 10 minutes until the Oyo NLC Chairman, Mr Kayode Martins seized the microphone, calmed the protesters, asking that they allow the governor say what he has to say.
But the demonstration of the protesters continued as the governor mounted the raised platform, going face to face with the protesters and appealing that they hear from him even if he is tagged as being part of the problem.
With several labour leaders calming the aggrieved protesters, the governor was later given the microphone to address the protesters.
Speaking to the protesting crowd, Governor Seyi Makinde said he was aware of the hunger and anger in the land, adding there was need for all to come together to pull through the present challenges.
Makinde promised to pass across the agitation of labour to President Bola Tinubu, just as he expressed readiness to sit with labour leaders to negotiate a new minimum wage.
On his part, he said the state government had been giving wage awards for the past few months and even approved of an extension of the wage award.
Led by the Oyo NLC Chairman, the protest train the moved to Mokola, Ibadan, with the protesters voicing calls on government to end hunger, lower food prices, fix local refineries, end fuel subsidy, end insecurity, create jobs, guarantee economic prosperity, stop implementation of IMF/World Bank policies by the federal government.
