The Chief of Staff to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, Shehu Wada Sagagi, has dismissed accusations by APC Chairman Abdullahi Abba of diverting palliatives as baseless, misleading, and politically motivated.
Sagagi stated that his office was never involved in palliative distribution and challenged the APC to provide proof of their allegations or retract their statement, according to the Independent.
He emphasized that the NNPP government has been transparent in its distribution of palliatives, with clear records of beneficiaries and distribution channels. Sagagi accused the APC of attempting to distract the public from their failures during their eight-year tenure and undermine the NNPP administration’s successes.
He urged the public to focus on the facts and see through the APC’s desperate attempts to discredit the NNPP government.
Sagagi also highlighted the NNPP government’s achievements, including food distribution and infrastructure development, and expressed commitment to the welfare of the people of Kano state.
Sagagi in a signed statement that was made available to newsmen Wednesday in Kano said, the antic deployed by the opposition party in the state was a “desperate attempt to tarnish his image in the eyes of right-thinking Nigerians, and a calculated attempt to discredit the NNPP government’s efforts in supporting the people of Kano state.
The top-flight Kano-born politician reiterated, “Let it be on record that my office has never been involved in palliatives distribution and no one has ever allocated the palliatives to me for onward distribution to state, local governments or ward level.
“The NNPP government has been transparent in its distribution of palliatives to the masses, with clear records of beneficiaries and distribution channels, therefore there is no truth to the APC’s claims of diversion or rebranding.” Sagagi clarified.
The signed statement read in parts: “The APC’s claims of palliative diversion are also contradictory, as they have previously praised the NNPP government’s efforts in supporting the people of Kano state.
It added that “The NNPP government has made significant strides in supporting the people of Kano state, from food distribution to infrastructure development, we, therefore, saw recent media onslaught as an orchestrated attempt to undermine these achievements.
Sagagi stressed that “Our actions are guided by the principles of transparency and accountability, and we challenge the APC to provide proof of their allegations or retract their statement.
” The Abbas-led APC’s stock in trade is diversionary, designed to set the people of Kano who are the ultimate beneficiaries of the palliatives against the government with the ultimate target to create unnecessary tension and confusion.”
“No doubt, our government remains committed to the welfare of the people of Kano state, and we will not be deterred by the APC’s baseless accusations. They will not succeed. We will continue to work tirelessly to support our citizens.”
Sagagi further said, “Kano state government would not be surprised over the frustration of APC Chairman to resort to blackmailing and attempt to misrepresent facts in other to score cheap publicity.
“We are not unaware that APC is still suffering from the hangover of the 2023 governorship election in Kano where NNPP defeated them woefully. Again, the perpetual loss at the Supreme Court was another nightmare.
“Instead of the leadership to rethink over their misfortune at the poll, and perhaps seek forgiveness from the good people of Kano for their reckless administration and large-scale misappropriation of public funds, they resort to chasing shadows, picking every slight opportunity to back over the media with empty vessels.
“APC would remain saddened that our government under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf exposed the massive fraud and fraudulent deduction of workers’ salary, a heinous act perpetrated by the immediate past administration.
“Today, workers under Kano state Civil Service are pleased to receive 100 per cent of their salary. Isn’t that enough shame for APC? Of what moral justification did the APC-led government have to accuse NNPP of corruption, when their ground-scale corrupt cases were already pending before the court?
“I am certain APC would not be happy also over the state of emergency declared by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on education having inherited a near collapse system. APC should have buried its head in shame for bastardizing the education system in Kano after siphoning capital allocation meant for the sector.”
”I will urge the public to see through their desperate attempts to discredit the NNPP government and focus on the facts.”
