Hon. Hassan Atawodi, who was recently sacked as the Transition Chairman of Ofu Local Government Area, has finally addressed the reasons behind his removal.
His dismissal was announced by the Secretary to Kogi State Government, Folashade Arike Ayoade, on Monday following accusations of diverting palliatives intended for his jurisdiction by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
In a media briefing on Tuesday, Atawodi attributed his ousting to political adversaries who harbor animosity towards him. He maintained that the palliatives designated for Ofu LGA were never entrusted to his care, questioning, “How can I divert what was not entrusted to me?”
Emphasizing that it was a coordinated effort to undermine him, Atawodi refuted claims of misappropriating relief materials meant for his constituents, highlighting that he was denied the crucial clearance letter necessary to obtain the palliatives.
The former local government chief narrated his challenges from the onset of his appointment, hinting at resistance from certain influential figures in Ofu LGA. Despite his efforts to reconcile with dissenting factions, Atawodi faced opposition, which culminated in his removal.
Addressing the allegations, he asserted his innocence and urged Governor Ododo to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter, stressing that the said palliatives were never within his possession.
Recounting his encounter with the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Atawodi mentioned the bureaucratic hurdles he encountered while attempting to access the relief materials. Despite his persistence, bureaucratic delays hampered his efforts to procure the palliatives for distribution.
Sharing his perspective on the events that led to his dismissal, Atawodi expressed resignation to God’s will, expressing astonishment at the publicized linkage of his removal to a misappropriation incident he claims was baseless.
Facing the tribulations with faith, the former Transition Chairman called for a thorough probe into the circumstances surrounding his ousting, underlining the injustice of being relieved of duty over resources he never handled.