Abia Rep denies selling rice donated to constituents by Tinubu

The member representing Ikwuano/ Umuahia Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Obi Aguocha, has denied allegations that he sold truckloads of rice donated by President Bola Tinubu to his constituents following the removal of fuel subsidy.

The allegation was levelled against the lawmaker by a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Abia State, Charles Ogbonna.

Ogbonna, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, APC, had during a recent public event, alleged that trailers of rice donated to the Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency were sold by Aguocha.

“Hon. Obi Aguocha sold the trailers of rice President Tinubu donated to the people of Ikwuano/ Umuahia to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal; let him take me to court if he says I lied against him,” Ogbonna said.

Reacting to the allegation in a statement he personally signed, Aguocha said: “I state categorically, without equivocation, that these allegations are entirely false, malicious, and a calculated fabrication. At no point was any truckload of federal palliatives or constituency rice diverted, converted, or sold by me or anyone acting under my direction.

“Every food relief items budgeted and as contained in the Appropriation Act allocated to my federal constituency was distributed transparently and directly to the good people of Ikwuano, Umuahia North and Umuahia South Federal Constituency through established, verifiable community-based channels.”

Aguocha who alleged that Ogbonna was waging a political war against him, said his problem with the former commissioner started after he advised him to stop attacking Governor Alex Otti.

He vowed to institute a lawsuit against Ogbonna to seek redress, adding his legal team is presently compiling “digital evidence” to file a defamation suit.