General
Nigerians lambaste Joe Igbokwe over Facebook post mocking shutdown of Gokada
Less than 72 hours after incurring the wrath of Nigerians over his comment on a television programme, Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, Joe Igbokwe, has again come under severe attack from Nigerians on social media over what they described as his unguided diatribe in the name of political correctness.
Igbokwe on Wednesday in a Facebook post mocked bike-hailing company Gokada over the temporary shutdown of its services in Nigeria to fix technical issues.
While denigrating the business initiative of the company, he said the Lagos State Government will not fold its arms and allow bike-hailing company send it out of business after investing millions of naira into the BRT system.
WuzupNaija reports that Igbokwe was lambasted and taken to the cleaners on Tuesday by social media users for describing the critics of President Muhammadu Buhari as ‘liars from hell’. He made the comment while speaking on Channels television’s ‘Politics Today’.
Recall that the Chief Executive Officer of Gokada, Fahim Saleh, had announced that the company is shutting down its operations temporarily in Nigeria on August 14, 2019.
Saleh revealed this in a note he wrote and published on Medium, saying the decision to exit the market immediately was compelled by his personal experience on one of the company’s bikes in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Saleh said he hailed a Gokada bike from Victoria Island to Mainland Bridge, and his experience was unpleasant because of two major reasons: rider’s failure to get to his pickup point within the allotted time and rider’s struggle to navigate the road due to a fault developed by Gokada’s app.
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Reacting to the news, Igbokwe took to his Facebook page and wrote:
“Instead of partnering with govt on BRT, you invested “5.3 million dollars” in okada business and expect that Lagos state will allow you jeopardise its muliti-billion naira mass transit investments.
“Call it ‘bike-hailing start up’ or whatever, okada na okada… it is not sustainable in a city of high density population Lagos.”
Igbokwe’s post attracted criticisms from social media users who described him as being insensitive.
Some also said his post could discourage private business owners because according to them it sends a signal that government would frustrate them out of business.
See some of the reactions:
BRT certainly cannot be the only means of transportation in a mega city like Lagos. As its done the world over, there should be various means & options of transportation as the govt certainly cant do it alone.The more the merrier & the healthier for Lagosians
— Madam D (@DuduRabome2006) August 15, 2019
Is Government itself now a capitalist and why do you think bike transit won’t work in Lagos? You need to get to the street and see the number of unemployed youths who would gladly embrace the opportunity to become an agent for bike transit.
— Olusola Folorunso (@sola_sam) August 15, 2019
And this is coming from a learned follow for that matter ? tell me any country that develop without private business involvement, they should have cancel Taxify, Uber as well cos they also affect govt mass transit investments. Very terrible opinion.
— Oluwaseun Tijani?️?️ (@seun_adebayo24) August 15, 2019
Well, I believe the problem is that he thinks they are not benefiting directly from all the millions of dollars this startups are raising and spending..
He wish there’s a way he can get bribes and cuts from these bike hailing Apps just like they do with government businesses.— Joe Adediji™ ???? (@Josylad) August 15, 2019
I really don’t see why people are crying foul. The Lagos State govt has never really displayed leadership and let private ventures thrive, unless it is from the powers that be. Small business are strangled with illogical taxes/rates everywhere
— Ifeanyi God’spower (@ifeanyigp) August 15, 2019
Don’t you go to Market to see different foodstuff sellers?
You mean to tell us that because a government invested in a transportation means which is different from mine, I shouldn’t invest?
People like you are issues in Naija!#AnotherUnfairFairyTale #PrinceTalks #Princejv2
— Miracle ValentineBoy (JACOB, Prince) – February 14 (@Princejv2) August 14, 2019
It means that rather than have money in the pockets of individuals and create jobs for them, let them give it to the Government, to increase the coffers that would get looted.
— Ifeabunike Chukwudi (@Ifeabunike) August 14, 2019
See screenshots of other reactions:
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