Following reports that President Bola Tinubu has ordered the distribution of palliatives worth millions of naira to members of the National Assembly, NASS, for onward distribution to their constituencies, confusion has emerged on what the true situation is.
While some reports claimed the President had given Senators and House of Representatives members funds, the lawmakers and members of their constituencies are singing different tunes.
Spokesman and Chairman, House Committee on Information, Akin Rotimi, said the legislators were given palliatives and not money from the President, further deepening the controversy surrounding the matter.
He said the palliatives were given to them through the Ministry of Agriculture.
A presidential aide, Segun Dada, had, on his X handle, said the President gave palliatives worth N200 million and N100 million respectively to Senators and members of the lower arm of NASS.
He said: “After initial logistics delay, I can now confirm that Senators and members of the House of Representatives have started taking stock of the Federal Government’s palliative items for their constituents as part of efforts to ease life for all Nigerians.
“Each HoR member received items worth N100m while Senatorial constituencies got palliative items worth N200m.’’
Also, in a viral video, the lawmaker representing Etsako Federal Constituency, Dekeri Anamero, alluded to such.
But some senators and members of House of Representatives, who confided in Sunday Vanguard, denied receiving monetary or any type of gifts for their constituents.
Further findings at the constituencies of the lawmakers across the country, also revealed that majority are neither aware of the largesse nor haven’t received it.
Borno/Yobe:
In Borno and Yobe states, residents told Sunday Vanguard they didn’t receive such gestures from the lawmakers or any of their representatives.
However, some federal lawmakers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a promise was only made to them by the federal government, but nothing was provided.
Imo:
Residents of Imo State said they weren’t aware of any Christmas palliative given to their lawmakers by President Tinubu.
In the 10 federal constituencies and three senatorial districts, nobody admitted to having received any gesture in that direction. Some President-Generals of communities said no lawmaker contacted them about any Christmas gift from President Tinubu.
Kwara:
Of the three senators in Kwara State, namely Senator Sadiq Abubakar, representing Kwara North, Senator Saliu Mustapha of Kwara Central and Senator Lola Ashiru, representing Kwara South, only the latter failed to distribute the palliatives meant for the people of Kwara South.
Ondo:
A cross-section of those interviewed in Ondo State denied receiving food items from their representatives in NASS.
Also, two legislators said they didn’t receive any Christmas palliative from President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking in Akure, the Senator representing Ondo Central, Niyi Adegbonmire, said no food item was distributed to them by the federal government for onward distribution to their constituents.
Oyo:
In Oyo, residents said they were yet to receive anything. At Mokola area of Ibadan, people standing in a cluster said they were not expecting anything from lawmakers.
Osun:
In Osun, it was learnt that most of the lawmakers did not distribute any sort of palliative.
Members of various constituencies said they only heard about the said palliatives, but didn’t receive any from their legislators.
Adedayo Adedeji, who is from Atakumosa-West in Ijesa-South Federal Constituency, challenged his lawmaker, Sanya Omirin, to tell the people the true story about the palliative.
***
You can visit us for more news at: thenewsdesk.ng
Tinubu Christmas Rice: Senators, Reps, Constituency Members Clash
