The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has replied leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) Rabi’u Kwankwaso, after criticising the method adopted by the Federal Government for the distribution of palliatives in Kano State.
In a statement posted on his X handle, the chairman of the party, Abdullahi Abbas, said the Federal Government is committed to alleviating hunger in the country, but that the NNPP government in Kano State is frustrating the efforts.
Abbas also faulted Kwankwaso for saying that the distribution exercise was solely left for the APC.
“The reconstituted committee by the Federal Government is under the leadership of the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, with membership from the All Progressives Congress, New Nigeria People’s Party, Peoples Democratic Party, Inter-Party Advisory Council, Senator Rufa’i Hanga, Senator Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila, members of the House of Representatives, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam, the State deputy governor, traditional and religious leaders, among others,” he said.
He said the bipartisan committee had worked out detailed modalities for the distribution of the palliatives to prevent incidences of diversion and ensure that the beneficiaries were truly the most needy members of the public.
According to him, the Federal Government’s decision to devise a new method of sharing the palliatives is informed by President Bola Tinubu’s dissatisfaction with the previous exercise.
Abbas said President Tinubu had approved several palliative measures for poor households and the vulnerable, but that the people assigned for the distribution of the commodities were diverting them.
He alleged that “The scandalous escapades that enmeshed senior officials of the NNPP government brought to the fore how the palliatives could not reach the targeted poor and the vulnerable.”
The APC chairman further alleged that despite the Kano State Government’s warning that it would deal with anyone found involved in the diversion of the palliatives, the Managing Director of the state Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO), Dr. Tukur Dayyabu Minjibir, was found to be involved in “an inappropriate sale of grains belonging to the state government.”
He also stated that a Senior Special Assistant to the Cabinet Office, Tasi’u Al’Amin Roba, was arrested for alleged diversion of the state’s palliatives.
“He was arrested repackaging the rice and maize at the warehouse at Sharada.”
Abbas alleged that only recently, a large portion of rice meant for distribution to the poor was looted at the private residence of the Chief of Staff, Government House, Kano, Shehu Wada Sagagi and that the matter is under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The APC chairman, therefore, called on Kwankwaso “to tell his anointed governor to launch an investigation into these acts of irresponsibility, by ensuring that perpetrators account for all the missing palliatives and also prosecuted.”
He also asserted that in addition to contradicting figures on the exercise, the 2024 Annual Ramadan Feeding Programme served poor quality meals prompting Gov. Abba Yusuf to announce that he had lost confidence in the people he entrusted with responsibilities.
On the issue of posting and reposting of directors of the Department of State Service, the chairman said the decision was in President Tinubu’s special consideration for Kano and commitment to ensuring that only diligent heads of security agencies are posted to the state.
He observed that throughout the two-term administration of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Kano remained relatively peaceful with no incidence of violence.
“The prevailing insecurity in the state is the handiwork of the NNPP government, because it encouraged and supported the violent youth. In months leading to the 2023 election, they were always happy with what they did,” he added.
On Monday, Kwankwaso accused the Federal Government of undermining constitutional democracy by excluding the state from the recent distribution of rice palliatives to 36 other states of the federation.
Kwankaso expressed disappointment that Kano’s share was instead “handed over to members of the All Progressives Congress” while calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and stop what he described as “a blatant act of partisanship.”
