The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, has debunked allegations by a group known as the All Progressive Congress, APC Initiative for Good Governance that she diverted Social Investment Programmes, SIP funds meant for the entire country to Bauchi State to push for the political interest of her husband, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Sadique (Rtd).
Sadique is contesting for Bauchi State’s governorship office in the 2023 elections under the APC.
The Bauchi-based group in a statement signed by one Nasiru Cigari, had also accused the Minister of abandoning her office and relocating to the state because of her husband’s ambition.
But in a swift reaction, the minister, speaking through her Special Adviser, Nneka Ikem Anibeze, in a statement made available to The Nation on Saturday, described the report as false.
She said those behind it are ”belly-aching detractors who will stop at nothing to derail the lofty SIPs of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration whose declared agenda is to lift 100 million vulnerable Nigerians out of poverty by 2030”
Setting the records straight, she stated that since the creation of the Ministry in August 2019, at least 20 million Nigerians have so far been empowered through various programmes and initiatives of the Ministry, adding that the highest number of beneficiaries are from Benue, Delta, Enugu, FCT, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Oyo, and Rivers states before Bauchi.
Farouk also debunked reports that she abandoned her responsibilities in her office to relocate to Bauchi.
“The Hon. Minister immediately after flagging off the Cash Grant for Vulnerable Groups left for Saudi Arabia to perform her religious rites with permission from Mr. President. She is expected back in the office this week.”