We Didn’t Rebag FG’s Rice – Governor Obaseki

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has said the state government did not rebag rice sent by the federal government as palliative.

Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media, Crusoe Osagie, said the Minister of Niger Delta Development accusation was false and malicious.

Osagie said the case of looted rice in the ongoing hunger protest has already been put to rest by Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) that it belonged to one of its vendors.

In a statement on Wednesday, Godwin Obaseki‘s aide said, “The state would like to place on record that the reference made by the minister that the bags of rice allocated to the state government by the federal government were rebagged and distributed by the state government is completely false and malicious.

“The state government had in March designed a feeding programme that was implemented through religious institutions in the state. Over N2.2bn was released to Christian and Muslim bodies to implement the programme, which has been very successful.

“The case of looted bags of rice referenced by the minister has been put to rest by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), who have explained that it was an incident at the residence of one of its vendors.”

Osagie accused the Niger Delta Minister,  Abubakar Momoh, of playing propaganda of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the state government. He added that the Minister should make factual statements on national issues.

“But unfortunately, the All Progressives Congress (APC), whose propaganda the minister appears to echo in his interview on national television, seems to have an axe to grind with the Christian umbrella body.

“It was mischief unexpected of a top government official to claim credit for the relief materials being distributed by CAN under the sponsorship of the State Government.

“Also, it is expected that a member of the federal executive council, the highest government decision-making organ in the country, will be able to make factual statements about the federal government’s own feeding programme,” Osagie added.