'Don't believe Fayose,' Presidency insists payment of 5,000 stipend is in progress

dimeji akinloye

January 5, 2017 5:27 AM

Adesina said that the Buhari administration is built on "integrity and accountability" and "does not lie to Nigerians."

The special adviser to President

Laolu Akande, the spokesman to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has on Monday, January 2, announced the commencement of the payment, stating that vulnerable citizens in Borno, Kwara and Bauchi States have started receiving the money.

Akande listed other states in the first batch of beneficiaries as Cross Rivers, Niger, Kogi, Oyo, Ogun and Ekiti states.

But Fayose, on Tuesday, discredited the payment, noting that there was no evidence of it in his state.

"A blind man will say it is when it gets into my mouth that I will say you are feeding me, not promises. Apparently the states they claimed have started receiving payments are APC-controlled states knowing fully that the governors cannot come out to disprove the payments," Fayose had said through a statement by his media aide, Idowu Adelusi.

Adesina, however, reiterated that the Federal Government has indeed commenced payment of the stipend, noting that the Buhari administration is built on "integrity and accountability" and "does not lie to Nigerians."

He said: "On N5,000 stipend, it was announced specifically from the office of the vice president that the scheme has started in nine states.

"Then a certain governor came and said it is not true. It is just a matter of who do you believe? This is a government that is built on integrity and accountability. This government will not lie to Nigerians, does not lie to Nigerians. In fact, anything you hear from this government you can take it to the bank, believe it.

"So, if anybody comes and say it is politics and that it is not true, choose who to believe. I can tell you that you should believe this government because this government will not lie to you."

ALSO READ: 'EFCC should stop chasing me,' Fayose says

The Programme is a part of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) of the present government's Social Investment Programmes (SIP), for which N500 billion was appropriated in the 2016 national budget.

Aside from the N-Power jobs where graduates and other participants in the Programme are paid N3,000 per month, the CCT targets one million Nigerians who will receive N5000 monthly payments as a form of social safety net.

dimeji akinloye