Posted by Disputes over the distribution of rice palliatives in Ogun State have sparked a public spat between the state government and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
leaders of two towns have publicly rejected the state government’s distribution of rice supplied by the Federal Government to mitigate the consequences of the loss of fuel subsidy in viral videos.
An elderly guy, claiming to be the Chairman of Shokeye CDA, was recently filmed turning down a donation of 10 kg of rice.
According to the man, his entire town of 147 homes received a single 10 kilogram bag of rice from the state government as a consolation.
He called the relief effort “insulting,” and he stressed that they were not in need.
Lekan Adeniran, chief press secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun, released a statement in which the state government responded by blaming the opposition party for the tapes.
The government claimed that some opposition members had used media blackmail to undermine the Abiodun government.
The Abiodun government claimed the media’s backers were fifth columnists, and they pointed out that the federal government has been very clear that the aid package is only for the most helpless members of society.
For the record, Governor Abiodun stressed the importance of the palliative care actually reaching the people who need it.
“But despite the government’s careful effort to make sure the palliatives go to the correct beneficiaries on time, some people are tenacious in their bids to paint the administration in a bad light for motives that go beyond politics.
This clarifies the situation depicted in a recent video featuring a man who introduces himself as the chairman of a local Community Development Association. The government claimed that he “betrayed the posture of a man out to do mischief in order to score cheap political gains” by using social media and “throwing caution to the wind.”
However, the PDP in Ogun State quickly responded, expressing shock that the State administration could blame the opposition for the footage going viral online regarding the palliatives.
According to a statement released by the PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Akinloye Bankole, the party has been keeping quiet as the leading opposition in Ogun because it “expected that the APC government would have outgrown its trademark of serial failure and irresponsibility” since the distribution of the palliatives began.
However, Bankole commented on how unfortunate it was that the government had publicly accused the PDP of blackmail.
The widespread rejection of the palliative by CD members, he remarked for the umpteenth time, “remains a valid confirmation of how unpopular the government has become over the years.”
According to the PDP spokesman, the “poor implementation” of the palliatives distribution was “a brazen insult” to the people of Ogun State.
He claims it demonstrates the government’s inability to think of new ways to govern effectively.
To add insult to injury, the opposition party demanded that the government immediately seek assistance and apologize unequivocally to the people of Ogun State.