Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has been accused by the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of withholding bags of rice sent by the Federal Government as palliatives to help mitigate the impact of fuel subsidy removal on the citizens.
The party claims that the consignment had been received by Adeleke from the FG twelve days prior to Thursday but had not been distributed to the people.
The APC alleged that five trailer-loads of rice along with other items, allocated to Osun as part of the people’s palliatives to alleviate the effects of fuel subsidy removal, had been received by the state.
According to a statement signed by APC state Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, the state government had chosen not to reveal the acquisition or distribute the items to the people.
Lawal questioned the governor’s reasons for withholding the palliatives and asked whether the citizens were expected to suffer from hunger before receiving the necessary support.
The statement further read, “All genuine stakeholders in the Osun State project should plead with Adeleke to release the rice palliatives sent to the state by the Federal Government to get to the needy on time as the purpose for sending it down is not to be locked up in a hidden warehouse in the state.”
The APC expressed concern that the alleged diversion of the rice palliatives by the state government could negatively impact the government’s reputation.
Moreover, rumors circulating about the governor attempting to misrepresent the origin of the palliatives by branding them as ‘Imole De Rice’ were also addressed, with a promise of resistance through legal means.
Responding to these allegations, the state government released a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Public Engagement, Mr. Kolapo Alimi. Alimi dismissed the APC’s claims as propaganda and assured the public that the final batch of palliatives was still awaited before distribution could begin.
He clarified that a total of three thousand bags of rice palliatives had been approved for Osun State by the Federal Government, with two thousand and four hundred bags already received and awaiting distribution.
Alimi emphasized the government’s commitment to delivering the palliatives to the citizens in a timely manner, once the remaining batch was received.
He urged the people to disregard the APC’s allegations and highlighted the administration’s history of distributing rice to the populace in times of emergency, even before being in office.
“We assure the good people of Osun that the government of Ademola Adeleke will not deny them of the rice palliatives, and we urge all to disregard the propaganda of the APC. This government is a responsible one, we are not hoarding the rice palliatives but waiting for the supply to be completed by the agency of the federal government before we commence distribution.”
The commissioner concluded, “Osun people know that the Adeleke family even before being elected into office has always shared thousands of bags of rice to the populace during an emergency. Now in Government, this administration can never and will never divert what belongs to the people.”