From Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has disclosed that some residents of the state are not happy with his administration due to his decision to “withdraw the state feeding bottle from their hands.”

The governor spoke on Thursday in Ado-Ekiti while distributing 20,000 bags of rice and 10,000 bags of maize to the people of the state as palliative measures in response to the economic hardship.

He said that aside from the distribution of palliatives, his administration is investing in agriculture by clearing over 2,000 hectares of land across the state to ensure food sufficiency and economic growth.

Oyebanji, who did not disclose the identities of the people he was referring to, explained that if they did not desist from their actions, he would have no option but to report them to the people of the state.

He noted that since the inception of his administration in October 2022, he has shunned all frivolous expenses and mismanagement of resources and remained committed to fulfilling his campaign promises to the people of the state.

Oyebanji maintained that the regular payment of salaries, pensions, and other investments across all sectors are not unusual but the primary responsibilities of a responsible government, saying, “That is not a big deal; it is my job. You did not elect me to sleep in the government house.”

According to him, “We have been using Ekiti resources to develop the state since our inauguration. I am about to clock two years in office; I have traveled out of the country twice; I have stayed with you performing my responsibilities.

“But as we are doing all these, some people are not happy because they had the bottle of Ekiti in their mouths, but we have removed it. So, it is expected that these categories of people will not be happy with the work we are doing in the state.

“Let me assure you that we are unperturbed by these people. We are in charge, and if it comes to reporting them to you, my people, we will do it because you elected us to be in charge of the state.”

The governor further said, “I have to express my appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for supporting us in the state, especially in the area of palliatives. The federal government gave us bags of rice, and we as a state added to it to make up the number we are distributing.

“I have not taken any loan since my inception as governor because we have more money to do our work. Since last year, our allocation has increased tremendously, hence the reason we are doing much now.

“As always, I need your prayers. I also need your fair criticism. If there’s anything we are doing wrong, please let me know. It’s better we know this on time and address it before it gets out of hand.

“I’m not happy that we are sharing rice as palliatives this way. But with our ongoing agricultural and food security plans, by next year, we will have enough food in the market to go around, which will address food inflation.”

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Ebenezer Boluwade, said that 50 bags of rice would be taken to the various 177 wards in the state and that all groups and associations in the state would also be considered in the distribution.