Kwara APC, PDP disagree over Tradermoni

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State have disagreed over Federal Government’s Social Investment Programme (SIP), also called Tradermoni.

While the PDP accused the Federal Government and the APC of politicising the programme, the state’s opposition party denied the allegation.

Kwara PDP spokesperson Tunde Ashaolu said: “The purported launching of the scheme on Friday in Ilorin by Vice-President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo was nothing but a political jamboree.”

The party also alleged that the identification and selection of beneficiaries of the scheme was “marred by political interference as majority of those who were selected were not genuine traders and artisans but members and supporters of the APC”.

He added: “It is improper and very disturbing that a Federal Government-financed programme has been turned into a party programme.

“As a government initiative, we expected that all eligible Nigerians, irrespective of their political affiliations, would benefit from it. But unfortunately, this has not been the case with Tradermoni. The Federal Government has failed to ensure equitable participation of all Nigerians in the scheme.

“Furthermore, we note that the distribution of such funds at this period of electioneering is a deliberate ploy by the Federal Government and the APC to induce voters ahead of the forthcoming elections.

“We also wish to state that unlike the APC-led Federal Government that is coming to distribute cash to people few weeks to the elections under the guise of empowerment, the state government has always provided assistance to small and medium business owners in the state, including market women, traders and artisans.

“We, therefore, call on market women, traders and artisans in the state not to be deceived by the political gimmick of the APC-controlled Federal Government that has not provided any assistance for them in the last three and a half years.

“The APC and Federal Government should also know that no amount of political gimmicks and propaganda will deter the people of Kwara State from supporting (Senate President) Bukola Saraki and the PDP.”

But APC State Chairman Bashir Bolarinwa said: “Tradermoni of the APC-led administration in the country was never planned nor executed based on party loyalty or political affiliation and it is not being carried out for the sake of electioneering campaign purposes.”

Speaking through media aide, Sabo Odeyemi, the APC chairman stressed that “the PDP is talking out of ignorance and sentiment because it is never a masses-oriented party; forgetting that any programme or scheme tagged ‘social investment’ crosses political terrain to include all segments of the society”.

He added: “It is good enough for the PDP to come out of ignorance and sentiment because the party has made the issue to become an accused turning to become the accuser.

“Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has been moving round the country since two years ago for this Tradermoni scheme as the entire country is the constituency of the Federal Government.”