The Kwara State government has faulted claims by Professor Tells Aderibigbe that the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and other governors were responsible for the food crisis in the country.
The special adviser to Kwara State governor on media, Alhaji Bashir Adigun, said Professor Aderibigbe’s recent comments on the factors igniting the food crisis in the country came to the government as a surprise.
“The good professor threw away all empirical indices pertinent for any credible academic essay and went on a voyage of fantasy to accuse state governors of causing the food crisis,” he said.
Adigun reminded the don that the food crisis is essentially a global problem and accentuated by local economic factors inherited by the current administration.
“The current food crisis started during COVID-19 and was deepened by the ill-conceived naira redesign. During the naira redesign, farmers could not get their produce to the market to sell and those that were able to get theirs to the market could not sell them.
“Many farmers became bankrupt, many could not pay back loans they took while others didn’t have the money to plant again. Most farmers or farm hands abandoned farming. Many just drifted to commercial tricycles and okadas.
“As a professor, Aderibigbe is unaware that the food crisis in Nigeria is impacted by the security problems around the country and recent mass exportation of Nigeria’s food products to some neighbouring countries, there by compounding food scarcity.
“Who for God’s sake will deny that the country has been grappling with insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and farmers-herders clashes for many years?” Adigun added.
He described allegation leveled by Aderibigbe that Governor AbdulRazaq was sabotaging the efforts of President Bola Tinubu as not only preposterous but a complete figment of the his imagination.
Adigun said Aderibigbe’s stance called to question, his ability to follow the news and track-record of Governor AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq both as exceptional Governor of Kwara State and performing chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum.
“Is Professor Aderibigbe aware of inspiring compliments on Governor AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq by no other person than President Bola Ahmed Tinubu?
“Is the Prof. aware of similar compliments showered on Governor AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum by his counterpart and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum ( PGF), Governor Hope Uzodinma on the recent occasion of Governor AbdulRazaq’s birthday ?
“Is he aware of testimonies by Governor AbdulRazaqs peers in the NGF or the overwhelming endorsements by majority of youths, women , elder statesmen, patriots and several credible international partners , donor agencies and Organizations all attesting to his impressive track record?,” Adigun asked.
