A pall of confusion appears to envelop the federal government’s allocation of 20 truckloads of rice to Edo state government as the Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has denied claims that the State government received palliative rice from the federal government and Dangote Foundation for distribution to the vulnerable in the state.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole, during an interview on Channel Television, alleged that the state government had received 20 truckloads of rice from the federal government and 30,000 bags of rice from the Aliko Dangote Foundation, following reports of rice looting during hunger protests.
But, the Deputy Director of the Peoples Democratic Governorship Campaign Council Rev. Olu Martins, has debunked Oshiomhole’s claim, stating that there were no records of such deliveries.
He said, “We listened to Senator Adams Aliu Oshiomhole’s various allegations regarding the distribution or redistribution of rice”.
The state government explained that President Bola Tinubu, in his statement on the hunger protests, did not mention any palliative rice being sent to any state.
Martins said Governor Godwin Obaseki runs a food support programme managed by a committee comprising members from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and other religious bodies in the state.
“N1 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.
He further clarified that if the rice had been delivered from Abuja, there should be records of someone in Edo receiving and signing for it.
Martins noted that while Dangote may require clearance from the state government, the distribution is not managed through the state. (Daily Trust, excluding headline)
