Lawmakers have refuted claims of receiving rice palliatives from the Federal Government during the festive season.
Several lawmakers, including the Senate leader Opeyemi Bamidele, and the lawmaker representing Ayedire/Iwo/Olaoluwa Federal constituency, Mudashiru Lukman, distributed bags of rice to their constituents during Christmas.
Senator Orji Kalu also distributed bags of rice to his Igbere constituents in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, a gesture he initiated in 1986 as part of his philanthropic endeavors.
Further, Senator Godiya Akwashiki and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan distributed trailer loads of rice and other items to their constituents in the spirit of Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Despite these actions, controversy arose when Dekeri Anamero, representing Etsako Federal Constituency of Edo State, claimed to have received six trailer loads of rice from the Federal Government for distribution. He alleged that the rice was supplied through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
Anamero’s statements drew attention, with some lawmakers denying receiving any rice palliatives from the Federal Government.
Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu clarified that the food items and money distributed to his constituents during the Christmas and New Year celebrations were personally funded by him and not from an FG allocation.
Similarly, Senator Okechukwu Ezea (Labour Party, Enugu North) also denied receiving any palliatives from the Federal Government, emphasizing that the items he distributed to his constituents were from his own benevolence.
A member of the House of Representatives criticized Anamero for his comments, stating that the program coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is real, but some colleagues, including Anamero, have mischaracterized it. He also expressed disappointment in Anamero’s remarks, stressing that some lawmakers have been distributing rice to their constituents independently, with or without Federal Government intervention.