Bayelsa Government Accuses APC Members Of Diverting Federal Flood Palliatives
The Bayelsa State government has accused members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state of diverting some palliatives sent by the Federal Ministry of Regional Development for flood victims. This allegation was made by the Commissioner for Information, Orientation, and Strategy, Mrs. Ebiowou Koku-Obiyai, during a press briefing at Government House, Yenagoa, on Monday.
According to Koku-Obiyai, the state officially received a consignment of relief items last Saturday, but intelligence indicated that additional supplies had allegedly been appropriated by APC stakeholders. She emphasized the need for transparency to ensure that Bayelsans understand the origin and scope of the relief materials.
Federal Palliatives Received
The commissioner outlined the palliatives officially delivered to Bayelsa State, which included:
•2,000 bags of 50kg rice
•Six bags of 50kg beans
•150 cartons of spaghetti
•1,000 mosquito nets
•100 cartons of tomato paste
•Six bags of detergent
•10 cartons of bathing soap
•20 bags of salt
•20 cartons of vegetable oil
•20 cartons of sachet milk
•Two cartons of seasoning cubes
•50 cooking stoves
•Six grinding machines
•Six sewing machines
•Three motorcycles
•Four bags of rubber slippers
“This is what we received as a state from the Federal Government. However, information at our disposal has it that more items were brought into the state and shared among APC stakeholders,” Koku-Obiyai stated. She also noted that the government would soon distribute the palliatives to flood victims and vulnerable residents, but warned that the limited supplies might not meet the needs of even a single ward or constituency.
N3 Billion Flood Relief Fund
The commissioner also disclosed that Bayelsa State had previously received N3 billion in flood relief funds from the Federal Government. She explained that the funds were spent on visiting flood-affected communities and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, as well as providing support to affected individuals.
APC Denies Allegation
Reacting to the allegations, the Assistant Publicity Secretary of the Bayelsa State APC, Mr. Coronation Tokpo, dismissed the claims as baseless. He argued that federal palliatives are sent to states, not political parties. Tokpo further alleged that APC members in Bayelsa have been excluded from palliative distribution in the past due to political biases in the state’s relief efforts.
“These accusations are frivolous. The Federal Government does not send palliatives to political parties. In fact, APC members in Bayelsa have often been denied access to palliatives because distribution is always done along party lines,” Tokpo asserted.
The development has sparked discussions about the equitable distribution of relief materials in Bayelsa, with concerns over the politicization of aid and its impact on vulnerable populations.
