Some youths in Ondo State on Wednesday in Akure protested against Gov. Olusegun Mimiko over planned presentation of the 2017 budget at the state House of Assembly.
The protesters said the outgoing governor ought not to present the budget since his tenure in office would end on Feb. 23.
Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) of All Progressives Congress (APC) will be sworn-in as the new governor on Feb. 24.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protesters, numbering about 200, stormed the Assembly complex on Igbatoro Road at about 7:00 a.m carrying placards with various inscriptions.
The protesters also blocked the main road leading to the Assembly complex preventing vehicular movement.
Some of the placards read: “ICPC and EFCC come to Ondo State’’, “Mimiko Don Carry our Money Go’’, “We Are not Slaves in Ondo’’, “Iroko Don’t Fool us’’ and “Ondo Youths Say no to Slavery’’.
Mr Adelokiki Orimisan, who claimed to be representing Coalition of Ondo State People, comprising different groups, alleged that Mimiko was trying to create a state of anarchy.
“Yesterday, we had information that Mimiko is coming today for presentation of 2017 budget and influence passage of 38 controversial bills which we are here to complain against.
“This is a total impunity which Ondo State youths will not tolerate because is an effrontery to the constitution of the state considering that his act may cause breach of peace in state,” he said.
According to him, one of the bills is to allow Mimiko to enjoy life pension benefit.
“Mimiko is influencing the House to pass a bill of Life Pension for himself and Act of Public Procurement which he did not present in the last eight years.
“He should have concentrated on smooth transition to the incoming Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu,” he said.
Reacting to the peaceful protest, Mr Femi Joseph, the Spokesperson of the Ondo State Police Command, said that every Nigerian had right to protest, but the laws only abhorred violent protest.
“They are doing it in a peaceful manner and police are not harassing nor molesting them.
“They are Nigerians and can express their grievance as long it did not degenerate into violence and we don’t have anything against that,” Joseph said.
NAN reports that officials of the police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Department of State Service (DSS) were stationed at the gates to the Assembly with Armoured Personnel Carrier and some security patrol vehicles. (NAN)