Some members of the National Assembly in the South South have stated that no rice or fund was released by the Federal Government for constituents in the areas during the yuletide.
The federal lawmakers and residents said this in reaction to the viral video making rounds on social media.
The legislators and residents in Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Rivers States said they were yet to receive such Christmas gifts.
The video claimed that the members of the House of Representatives received N100 million, while the Senate received N200 million for rice to be shared to their respective constituents.
The video showcased Dekeri Anamero, Member Representing Etsako Federal Constituency in Edo State, inspecting truckloads of rice meant for his constituents, while appreciating President Bola Tinubu for 2,400 bags of rice for the people of his constituency.
But the lawmaker representing Abak Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State, Clement Jimbo, said that President Tinubu was yet to release N100 million to the lawmakers as speculated in the video.
According to Jimbo: “President Tinubu or the Federal Government of Nigeria has not released any N100 million to the House of Representatives members or N200 million to the senators.
“I am a house member, the person in question is my colleague and the video is a lie because no such things happened.”
Jimbo alleged that Anamero was aspiring to be the Governor of Edo State, which made him buy rice and share it with his constituents.
He further alleged that the lawmaker tagged the rice with the President to curry favour from him and the party for his personal ambition of becoming the governor of Edo State.
He, however, said that the President and the Federal Government had plans to give the lawmakers palliatives for their constituents, but the plans were yet to be actualised.
He added that the process had not been concluded to release any money or palliatives to the lawmakers, stressing that: “When it is done and money released, Nigerians will be informed.”
Similarly in Cross River State, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, representing the state’s Southern Senatorial District, said no National Assembly member from the state had received any rice consignment from the Federal Government as palliative for the festive season.
Ekpenyong, who spoke through his Media Aide, Charles Ekanem, in a telephone interview, said that he distributed close to 2,000 bags of rice during the Yuletide in his senatorial district.
He explained that the rice was not from the President but from his personal expenditure and a gift for his constituents for the festive season.
He said: “I contracted someone in Cross River who is a rice miller to package close to 2,000 bags of rice, which were shared among my constituents.
“That was from my personal expenditure.
“The purported one from the President to the House of Representatives members and senators has not been delivered yet.
“It is still in the pipeline.
“Although some House of Representatives members have gotten theirs, I think it is those that have fulfilled the logistics requirements for the rice and it has been delivered to them.
“Not everyone has received it.”
On his part, Bassey Akiba, member representing Calabar Municipality/Odukpani Federal Constituency, said he had not received any rice consignment from the Federal Government.
According to him, when he does, he would make it open to the public in line with his policy thrust of transparency and accountability.
Akiba added that what he distributed to his constituents during the Yuletide as a gift was a personal act of love and compassion and not from the Federal Government.
In the same vein, some residents in Rivers State said they were yet to benefit from alleged palliative rice from the Federal Government.
Titus Jones, Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, said that there was no presidential palliative from the lawmakers during the yuletide celebrations.
According to Jones: “We heard that President Bola Tinubu had requested the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to disburse rice equivalent to N100 million and N200 million respectively to House of Representative members and senators.
“We are yet to get confirmation from the lawmaker representing our constituency as to when we should expect our disbursement.
“That’s if the rumour is true.”
Similarly, a traditional ruler, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that some bags of rice were distributed during the general meeting of Chiefs’ Council held on December 28, 2023.
He noted that such rice distribution during the yuletide celebrations had since been understood as a demonstration of benevolence by politicians and well-meaning individuals.
He said: “Last year, we got some bags of rice from some politicians.
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“The Governor, Siminialaye Fubara, and even the former Governor, Nyesom Wike.
“None of the grains distributed was said to have come from the Presidency.”
On his part, Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Joseph Johnson, said he was not aware of a presidential palliative during the festive season.
Johnson, however, said he was also looking forward to seeing the state benefit from such support from the Presidency.
