1 month ago
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The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has denied allegations that it received rice donations from the federal government and the Dangote Foundation for distribution to vulnerable residents.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole had claimed in an interview on Channels Television that the state government had obtained 20 truckloads of rice from the federal government and 30,000 bags from the Aliko Dangote Foundation amid reports of rice looting during recent hunger protests.
However, the Deputy Director of the PDP Governorship Campaign Council, Olu Martins, dismissed Oshiomhole’s assertions, stating there was no evidence of such deliveries.
“We listened to Senator Adams Aliu Oshiomhole’s various allegations regarding the distribution or redistribution of rice,” Martins said.
He also pointed out that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not mention distributing palliative rice to any state in his address on the hunger protests.
Speaking at a press conference at the PDP Campaign Council headquarters in Benin, Martin said having been a governor and now a senator, Oshiomhole should know how government was run.
He said, “The Edo State government did not receive any rice from the Federal Government or Aliko Dangote Foundation.
“Mind you, Mr President did not mention in his speech on Sunday that rice was given to any of the states. It may be that it is still in the offing, because if he sent 20 trucks of rice to Edo State, which ministry did it go through? Which ministry or agency received it in Edo?
“The former governor alluded to Dangote giving the state bags of rice, which is annoying. He may be saying all these because APC has been consistently bashed, especially at the federal level, not forgetting that the protest is against bad governance.
“The senator is crying wolf where there is none and trying to instigate people to loot stores where bags of rice were kept.
“The Dangote Foundation does distribute rice through the state government. It has its way of reaching out to the people.”
Martins further explained that Governor Obaseki oversees a food support program managed by a committee, including members from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and other religious organizations in the state.
“₦1 billion was released to the committee for the first tranche, and they have done their job and reported to the governor. The discussion about 20 trucks of rice and 30,000 bags of rice from Dangote doesn’t add up,” he explained.
Martins clarified that if any rice had been sent from Abuja, there would be documented proof of its receipt and signing in Edo.
