Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, on Friday made a cash donation of N50million and relief materials to Bayelsa State flood disaster victims.
This was contained in a statement issued by her media handlers on Saturday.
The three-term senator made the donation when she led a delegation of the APC women campaign team to the various camps of internally displaced persons in Yenagoa to commiserate with the victims.
Bayelsa is one of the states most hit by the flood, with seven of its eight local government areas affected.
The flood had also forced many residents into IDP camps as hundreds of their buildings and farmlands are submerged by flood.
The development is coming barely three days after the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, allegedly exempted Bayelsa from the list of 10 worst-hit states ravaged by floods.
The minister had hinged her conviction on a number of factors which she said included the number of displaced persons and deaths recorded per state, injuries, partially damaged or totally damaged houses as well as ravaged farmlands.
Her statement generated condemnation from the Bayelsa State Government and stakeholders who described her as insensitive to the plight of their people.
A livid Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, said considering Bayelsa’s contribution to the nation’s economy, the minister’s response to the flood situation in the state was not commensurate and fair.
But standing before the internally displaced persons at the Ox’ Bowlake Pavilion and Igbogene camps in Bayelsa, Tinubu announced a donation of N50,000 each to 1,000 individuals to help their small-scale businesses rise again.
She said, “Our visit here today is not political. But rather it is to identify with you in the moment of need and pray that the state will not witness such natural disasters again.”
In her entourage were Nana Shettima, wife of the party’s vice presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima; wife of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Mrs. Alanyingi Sylva and National Coordinator of APC Women Campaign team, Dr. Asabe Bashir.
While paying homage to the traditional ruler of the community in his palace, Tinubu also briefed the Obenibe of Epie Kingdom, Malla Sasime, on the purpose of their visit to the state.
While expressing appreciation on behalf of the victims, the acting paramount ruler of Igbogene, Emperor Osage, informed the delegation that the donation was the first of its kind they would receive.
The traditional ruler appreciated the APC women’s campaign team for taking out time to visit the victims of flood in the state and wished them safe return to their various destination.
