The Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, Hon Olusegun Dada, has clarified the issue of palliatives distribution to National Assembly members during the festive period.
In a statement released on Sunday, Hon Dada said that President Tinubu did not give cash to the lawmakers as palliatives to the people in their constituencies and senatorial districts.
He explained that the President, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, only distributed rice and other food items worth N100 million to each Nigerian Representative Member and N200 million to each Nigerian Senator as palliatives support for ordinary Nigerians and sort of Constituency Projects for the NASS members who are considered as the closest people to ordinary Nigerians people in all parts of the country.
Hon Dada also dismissed the allegations that some National Assembly members were hoarding the palliatives, saying that they can only distribute when they have received it, and this is due to logistic reasons behind the distribution process.
He urged Nigerians to disregard the “grossly misleading” insinuations from some quarters that the President was bribing the lawmakers with cash.
He said that President Tinubu approved the distribution of trailers load of food materials to National Assembly members, but it was not done in cash, it was food items sourced through the Ministry of Agriculture.
He said that the President’s gesture was aimed at alleviating the suffering of Nigerians, especially during the festive period, and not to influence the lawmakers in any way.
He appealed to Nigerians to continue to support the President’s efforts to deliver good governance and development to the country.