Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State is on a collision course with his predecessor, Yahaya Bello following the sack of the transition committee chairman of the Ofu local government area, Hassan Atawodi, SaharaReporters has learnt.
Atawodi was handpicked to head the Ofu local government transition committee chairman on 9th January 2024 by the former Governor, Bello.
Meanwhile, the sack of Atawodi by the present governor is believed to be used to test the waters in what has been described as a “silent crisis” going on between the two leaders.
Although the real reason behind the sack of Ofu Transition Chairman may not have been heard, political watchers suspected it was in connection with the alleged diversion of palliative rice meant for distribution to indigent constituents.
The governor according to sources accused the chairman of diverting 1,200 bags of rice which the deputy governor hijacked but wanted to pin on the Chairman.
Insider sources said that trouble for Atawodi started when he allegedly disobeyed instructions of the Deputy Governor, Joel Salifu Oyibo, who is also from the same Ofu local government area.
The deputy governor was said to have told him (the chairman) to share the palliative rice meant for the indigent citizens of Ofu to party stakeholders instead of the targeted poor.
The idea of sharing the rice to party stakeholders, which the lion share had been prepared to go to the former Vice Zonal Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Hon. Alfa Muhammed and the Deputy Governor himself, was allegedly opposed by the caretaker chairman, Mr Atawodi, who saw it as heartless considering the current economic hardship, high rate of inflation and high cost of living.
“Atawodi ignored the arrangement and made it clear to the deputy governor, Mr Joel Oyibo that the people are going through a lot this time and it would be unwise to share 1,200 bags of rice to stakeholders when in actual sense, the rice was not even enough to distribute to indigent families.
“This got the deputy governor infuriated and consequencetly threatened to deal with the caretaker chairman Hon. Atawodi for daring him.”
Continuing, the source said “Atawodi was subsequently, barred from the venue where the rice was shared. Instead the deputy governor appointed one Alfa’s loyalist in the person of Musa Muhammed Lawal a.k.a Solar whom he directed to take charge.”
In a video made available on the sharing of the palliative, it shows Musa Lawal when he was collecting the 1,200 bags of rice meant for the Ofu council.
According to the source, the rice he collected were allegedly sold in Lokoja the state capital to a business tycoon as directed by Hon. Alfa and Joel Oyibo (deputy governor).
