The Bayelsa State government and the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are locked in a war of words over the alleged diversion of federal flood relief palliatives.
Bayelsa’s Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, in a chat with journalists yesterday, accused APC stakeholders of hijacking additional relief items sent by the federal government. She said the state only received limited supplies, including 2,000 bags of rice, 150 cartons of spaghetti, 1,000 mosquito nets, and other basic goods.
“We were informed that more items were brought into the state but shared among APC stakeholders,” Koku-Obiyai alleged. She clarified that the state government plans to distribute its own palliatives soon and urged citizens to avoid confusion, given the limited federal supplies received.
In response, Bayelsa APC Assistant Publicity Secretary, Mr. Tamaratare Otis, dismissed the claims as “flippant and irresponsible.” He challenged Koku-Obiyai to name the alleged beneficiaries or apologise publicly for misleading statements.
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Otis accused the Bayelsa government of historically hoarding federal relief items to benefit party loyalists, especially during elections. He asserted that the federal government fairly distributes relief materials to state governments whenever necessary, with no partisan considerations.
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