… Accusation untrue – Government
From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Leaders and Elders Forum of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Delta State has accused the state government of politicizing and abusing the distribution process of the bags of rice meant to cushion the impact of fuel subsidy removal on citizens.
Delta State Government received a total of 17,400 bags (50kg) from the Federal Government for distribution across the state.
Rising from its meeting in Ughelli, the Delta APC Leaders and Elders Forum in a communique, thanked President Bola Tinubu for the palliative programme but alleged that the People Democratic Party (PDP)-led state government has abused the distribution process by appointing only it’s members into supervising committee at various levels.
The forum noted with satisfaction the efforts put in place by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through its palliative programme to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal in the petroleum sector on citizens.
“The caucus while thanking Mr. President for the share allocated to Delta State, noted with pains and dismay that the effort of Mr. President has been politicized and abused by the delta state PDP led administration by appointing only members of PDP at both the state, local government and ward level into monitoring/oversight palliative distribution committee to the deliberate exclusion of APC members from committees and beneficiaries of the palliatives,” it stated.
The communique, which was signed by the forum chairman, Godwin Ogbetuo; patron, Morrison Olori; deputy chairman, Tony Uti; secretary, Roland Kemefa; legal adviser, S.S. Osia; and chairman of communique committee, J.F. Daubry, expressed satisfaction with “the doggedness of the members of the party in Delta State in spite of the intimidation, maiming, unlawful arrest with frivolous charges and deprivation by the PDP led administration in Delta State.
We are certain that such will come to an end with His Excellency Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, taking over the state.”
The communique further thanked the president for the appointments of Festus Keyamo as the Minister for Aviation and Aerospace, Ebie Chiedu as chairman of NDDC and Monday Igbuya as member of the board of NDDC.
The party elders appealed to all party members who may have reservation over the appointments to please sheath their swords in the interest of the party.
But in a swift reaction, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Sir Festus Ahon, said the members of the committees were not card carrying members of any political party.
He said the membership is composed of religious leaders, traditional rulers, youth council, women council and other credible personalities within communities.
Ahon clarified that the palliative from the Federal Government is neither grant nor gift, adding that it was repayable loan.
He said: “The monitoring teams are made up of the leadership of the church that is CAN and PFN, National Youth Council, Council for Women Society, community leaders, traditional rulers.
“These are non-partisan persons, they are apolitical. And the distribution model is such that it will get down to everybody irrespective of political party. It will trickle down to everybody across the political divide.
They should go back to their various wards and villages to find out if the thing is not trickling down to the people it was meant for. Hunger does not know political parties. What we have done as a government is to ensure that every Deltan benefits from the palliative.”