Former governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba, has described those calling the Trader Moni programme being implemented by the Federal Government and the Bank of Industry to empower petty traders, vote-buying as fools.
Speaking at a book presentation “Nigeria on Firmer Ground Towards Lasting Peace and Progress”, put together by the Presidential Media Team, Osoba who is the book reviewer, said calling a revolving loan given to the market women to aid their petty trading, vote buying was nothing But foolery.
“The government had said before its implementation across the country, the fund was approved by the National Assembly.
Transparency International Nigeria has said that the programme is a form of voter inducement.
The chairman of the anti-corruption organisation, Awwal Rafsanjani, on a TV program noted that the initiative was an “official use of public funds in the name of TraderMoni to actually induce voters.”
He stated that, no matter how well-intentioned, implementing the scheme close the elections would give different signals to Nigerians across the federation, adding that if the government was sincere about the scheme, it would have started before the elections drew this close.
Osoba also described the Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, as a conspirator frustrating President Muhammadu Buhari’s return for second term.
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