Olu Samuel, Lokoja

The sacked transition Chairman of Ofu local government area of Kogi state, Hassan Atawodi has denied diverting palliatives meant for the people of his local government area.

He blamed his travail on power play by power that be in the local government area.

Atawodi was sacked by the state governor , Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo on Monday for allegedly diverting palliatives meant for the people.

“How can I divert something that was never handed over to me in the first place” he queried.

Reacting to the sack on Tuesday through a statement issued and made available to Newsmen in Lokoja, Atawodi said, “after they moved the palliative from the Muhammadu Buhari Civic Centre, I called the DLG to ask about the whereabout of the palliative that is the 1200 bags of rice. He said it was off-loaded at the residence of the Zonal Chairman in Ejule. I asked if it was safe there as I would have guaranteed that if brought to the Local Government Secretariat, it would be more safe and would reach the intended beneficiaries”.

” I was at the Governorship Tribunal in Abuja yesterday when somebody called me to inform me that a letter of replacement was being typed to replace me after which I was later told that I have been replaced “.he added.

While the former Transition Chairman said he has taken the power play against him as the will of God, lamented that he was surprised to read on the social media that his sack was connected with alledged diversion of Palliative that was never given or handed over to him.

” My hands are clean and I know that my God will fight for me. Since my assumption, it’s been one battle to another. The DSS are all aware of my travails”.

The former Transition Chairman called on Gov. Ahmed Usman Ododo to Constitute an investigation into the reason behind his removal, pointing out that it could not have been over a palliative that was not handed over to him.