Birnin-Kebbi, the capital of Kebbi State, witnessed a mild drama on Tuesday at the venue of the Progressive Governors Forum meeting.
As the function progressed, Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State and Senator Adamu Aliero confronted two top federal government officials.
Masari and Aliero accused Ministers of Agriculture and Finance of issuing import licences to unknown traders who imported 300 metrics tonnes of maize into Nigeria.
Masari, who was first to speak, openly challenged Audu Ogbeh and Kemi Adeosun, accusing them of backing importers that brought the maize from Brazil to Nigeria.
In his reaction, Aliero supported the Katsina governor.
He said “We have it from a reliable authority that your ministries issued the licenses to them.
“This will not help our local farmers. We have agreed that there should not be importation of any grain into the country.”
In separate responses, both ministers denied the allegation.
In the words of Ogbeh: “If had the power, I would have stopped the importation of goods into Nigeria 30 years ago.
”I don’t know anything about it. My ministry don’t know anything about it. It is the responsibility of Customs to stop them”.
Adeosun on her part stated: “I don’t know anything about it. One NGO approached us to import drugs for IDPs and we told them that they should buy in Nigeria.”
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