FG gave rice as palliative to our constituencies, not N100m – Reps

The House of Representatives says the Federal Government gave members rice to be distributed to their constituencies as palliative but not N100 million as being peddled.

Rep. Akin Rotimi, Chairman, House Committee on Media and Publicity, said this in a statement in Abuja on Friday.

This is coming against the backdrop of a viral video of Rep. Dekeri Anamero saying President Bola Tinubu gave each member two trailers of rice to be distributed to their constituents.

Supreme News reports that Anamero, a member representing Etsako Federal Constituency, was reported to have said in a viral video that Tinubu gave each of them two trailers of rice.

The rice, according to him, is to be shared with their various constituencies across board, adding that at least each member got two trailers.

Rotimi, however, said that the Speaker of the House of Reps lobbied for it as additional palliatives for their constituents across the country.

This, he said, was handled by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in line with existing public procurement laws.

According to him, the procurement process is at different stages, depending on the constituency, but to be clear, no legislator has been given any money for palliatives.

He said that, as politicians, members might be visible during the process of distribution and rightfully take credit for bringing succor to the people.

According to him, the procurement and distribution of the palliatives are being handled by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

He said that the 10th House of Representatives was the People’s House, and it would continue to engage and work to earn the trust of Nigerians as their elected representatives.