The Ogun State Government, has denied that Governor Dapo Abiodun called Nigerians sore losers over the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest.
Referring to the claim as mere fabrication, the State government said the Governor was talking about certain losers of the 2023 elections who were cashing in on the dissent of Nigerian youths to destabilise the country.
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Governor, Kayode Akinmade, revealed this in a statement on Saturday.
Akinmade explained that the chaos that greeted the protest in several parts of the country had vindicated Abiodun’s position.
He stated further that nowhere in the referenced interview with Channels Television did the Governor suggest, even remotely, that ordinary Nigerians ventilating their grievances over the economic situation in the country are sore losers.
According to the statement, Abiodun is well known for his deep appreciation of Nigerian youths, students, and workers, whom he has always held in the highest esteem and spoken about in glowing terms.
READ ALSO: Protest: Nigerians Are Sore Losers, Should Wait Till 2027, If They Want Regime Change – Dapo Abiodun
The statement added that only on Friday, the governor lauded Ogun residents, particularly the youth, for shunning violent protests and conducting themselves in an exemplary manner, assuring that his administration remained committed to their happiness.
The statement read in part: “The claim that Governor Abiodun insulted ordinary Nigerians is spurious, malicious, and lacks any rational basis.
“Elementary rules of language indicate that the meaning of an expression resides in its context: Governor Abiodun could not have been referring to ordinary Nigerians as the sponsors of a faceless and leaderless protest.
“While Governor Abiodun did indeed mention sore losers, he was clearly emphasizing irredentist opposition leaders who do not wish this administration well, urging them to prepare for the 2027 polls instead of mindlessly discrediting every government policy just to excite passions and incite people against the government.
“To stretch his use of the word ‘Nigerians’ beyond its intended referents in this context is, therefore, to engage in intellectual fraud and plain mischief.
“Governor Abiodun has the utmost respect for the protesters, and he has made that clear on many occasions.”
