The immediate past Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye has declared that the ruling All Progressives Congress is not the cause of the poverty ravaging most Nigerians.
According to him, the APC-led Federal Government inherited the economic hardship in the country which has been in existence for years.
Owoeye made this known on Monday while briefing the media in Osogbo, capital of Osun State on the activities lined up to mark the 70th birthday anniversary of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola.
Fielding questions from journalists on whether the decision of Oyetola to distribute raw food items was to partly address the hunger allegedly caused by the incumbent administration in the country, Owoeye said the former governor of Osun State would be giving out food to identify with the less privileged and also as a way of appreciating God’s mercy in his life.
He disagreed that the ruling APC plunged the nation into economic woes, saying the current situation dated many years back.
“I want you to know that the present situation in Nigeria was not caused by the APC. It has been there for ages. And for our leader to celebrate the 70th birthday at this time is a way to identify himself with the less privileged people across the state,” Owoeye said.
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“Giving out foods is not new, it is a way to let you know that our leader, our amiable Honourable Minister for Marine and Blue Economy is a lover of the masses. For him to deem it fit to distribute food for the less privileged is a way of identifying himself with other people, not only the first class elites.
“Those who are close to our principal (Oyetola) will agree with me that Oyetola is a person that considers others. So, with his magnanimity, he believes that sharing food is a way to celebrate God’s mercy in his life and he is doing this by himself to distribute food across the state.
“The food will be taken to churches, mosques and accredited centers across the state. So, he is doing it by himself. And as of now, there is no way we can categorically say that this is the number of the people that will benefit but I know they are in thousands.”
While disclosing that the Minister would be carrying out medical outreach for about 5,000 residents of the state as part of activities marking his birthday, Owoeye said Osun APC would be celebrating the Minister moderately.