By Laraba Usman
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Gombe State has rejected the distribution of foodstuffs to political parties through the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) by the APC-led state government, dismissing the exercise as a political ploy rather than a sincere effort to assist struggling citizens.
In a statement signed by Acting Chairman Malam Adamu Modibbo, the SDP accused the government of deliberately stockpiling palliatives meant for the public and only releasing them now for political gain.
The party argued that if the government genuinely cared about the welfare of Gombe residents, it would have distributed the food at the height of inflation and hunger rather than at a time that conveniently serves its political interests.
According to the statement, the timing of the distribution raises suspicions. “If the government truly had the people’s interests at heart, why did they not distribute these foodstuffs months ago when inflation and hunger were at their worst?
” Instead, they allowed citizens to suffer, only to now distribute these palliatives in a desperate attempt to regain public trust.
The SDP also expressed concerns about the safety and quality of the food items, warning that prolonged storage could have compromised their suitability for consumption.
The party maintained that long-term solutions, such as investment in agriculture, job creation, and economic reforms, were the real answers to food insecurity, rather than what it described as “relief items used as political bait.”
The statement further distanced the SDP from IPAC, making it clear that the party would not participate in any scheme designed to mislead the people of Gombe.
“Our people deserve real solutions, not last-minute tricks disguised as relief,” the party emphasised, urging citizens to hold the APC government accountable for what it described as failed policies that have led to economic hardship in the state,” statement added