The Bayelsa State Government has dismissed reports claiming it accused the Federal Government of being responsible for poverty in the state, insisting that no such statement was ever issued.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Mrs Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, the government described the reports as false and misleading, stressing that it did not release any official response on Monday to criticisms by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party over Governor Douye Diri’s six years in office.
According to the government, media reports published under the headline, “Bayelsa Govt Rejects PDP’s Poverty Claims, Defends Six-Year Record,” wrongly attributed comments to the commissioner that were never made.
It also rejected another report alleging that the state administration blamed President Bola Tinubu’s government for the level of poverty in Bayelsa, maintaining that it never adopted or expressed such a position.
The statement partly read, “The commissioner neither issued, signed nor circulated any press release responding to the opposition party’s claims,” stressing that the government considered the allegations unworthy of an official response.
The state government challenged journalists and media organisations responsible for the reports to present the alleged statement, insisting they would be unable to do so because “none exists.”
It maintained that residents of Bayelsa were well aware of the achievements recorded under Governor Douye Diri’s administration and could easily separate factual information from deliberate misinformation.
The government further argued that claims suggesting it blamed the Federal Government for poverty only reflected what it described as an attempt by the PDP faction to push a false narrative.
Reaffirming its position, the government said Governor Diri continues to enjoy a cordial and productive working relationship with President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Government, noting that the collaboration has yielded benefits for the people of the state.
It added that the PDP faction was pursuing political relevance through falsehood and reiterated that the administration would remain focused on governance rather than be distracted by what it called baseless allegations.