- By Halimah Olamide
Amidst rising tension over protests across the country, Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun has been scheduled to meet with the organisers with a view to dialoguing with them.
Organisers have vowed to storm the streets in protests against hunger in the land.
Adeleke, in a statement by his Spokesperson, Mr. Olawale Rasheed, on Sunday in Osogbo, said that he would also meet with stakeholders including security agencies and civil society organisations.
The governor said that he had instructed his team to reach out to the representatives of various civil society groups and students for dialogue.
“I have instructed my team to organise a dialogue session on Monday where stakeholders can jaw jaw as part of peace-making in the exercise of their constitutional rights.
“The session will afford parties to list grievances and what they expect the government at all levels to do.
“ We will convey outcomes of the session to Mr President in Abuja.
“It will also be an opportunity to tell stakeholders what we are doing as a government to resolve the economic hardship facing our people,” he said.
Adeleke, who noted that the protesters have rights and liberty to protest, said there was need for peace and non-violent actions in the country.
“Osun is a peaceful state where proactive steps are ongoing on food security, economic revival and state building to deliver good governance and dividends of democracy.
“We have to sustain the peace, even as we make our feelings about the state of the nation known to the leadership.
“We will listen and we will act in the best interest of the citizenry,” he said.
NPO Reports that governments at all levels are seeking dialogue saying protests could become violent.