The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has told the people of the state to be wary of another antics of Governor Ademola Adeleke to put a fast one on the citizens over another consignment of the Federal Government’s rice palliatives meant for ameliorating the effects of fuel subsidy on the citizenry.
The Osun State chairman of the APC, Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, in a statement issued by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Chief Kola Olabisi, today, stated he has a privileged information that Governor Adeleke is perfecting a means of shortchanging the people of the state again with reference to the issue of the new consignments of rice from Abuja.
Lawal stated that a credible source authoritatively confirmed that about two weeks ago, trailers loaded with bags of rice branded in the name of Federal Government of Nigeria were offloaded in the Ministry of Agriculture, State Government Secretariat, Abere, and are being re-branded to Osun State Government.
He explained further that the bags of rice which are being rebranded at a secret location in the state ministry have the photograph of Governor Ademola Adeleke inscribed on it in order to give a false impression that the palliative items are provided by his administration.
He said that it is criminal for the state to fraudulently claim the rice palliatives sent by the Federal Government for the reduction of the effects of fuel subsidy removal on the citizenry.
In Lawal’s words: “Is it fair or justifiable for a state government to corner the palliatives meant for the people and pretend as if it is the state that is providing it?
“What informs the choice of Governor Adeleke to order that the palliative rice should be re-branded with the inscription of his photograph and name on it?
“There cannot be any other name for this action other than official fraud.
“It is our resolve as a party that the trailer-loads palliative rice sent by the APC-led administration at the Federal level should not be used by Governor Adeleke to play a dirty politics to the disadvantage of the opposition.
“As we speak, the issue of the Christmas/New Year 1,200 bags of rice sent to each of the Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN) last December of which that of Osun State lost in transit still remains unresolved till today”, the state APC chairman recalled.
