The Presidency on Wednesday dismissed insinuation in some quarters that the commencement of the payment of N5,000 stipend to less-privileged Nigerians was a “mere propaganda”.
Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, stated this while fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja.
Adesina’s remarks came on the heels of criticism by Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State that the Federal Government was using the scheme as a propaganda machine to score cheap political goals.
However, the presidential spokesman urged Nigerians to be wary of its detractors as government continues to implement policies tailored towards uplifting their quality of life.
Adeshina said: “On the N5,000 stipend for the poorest of the poor, it was announced specifically from the office of the Vice-President that the scheme has started in nine states and then someone 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 says it is politics, 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.”
Adesina said that the Federal Government had already commenced the payment of N5,000 stipend to poor Nigerians as against insinuations that the programme had not commenced.
Fayose, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, described as propaganda the Federal Government N5,000 monthly stipends to one million poor Nigerians.
The governor said most of the states listed were APC states and would not publicly refute the claim.
He challenged the federal government to publish the names of people collecting the stipends and their accounts.
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