Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on members of the National Assembly (NASS) to ensure proper distribution of thousands of bags of rice and other foodstuffs recently given to them for sharing by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their constituents.
MURIC’s executive director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Friday noted that each of Nigeria’s 109 senators allegedly received N200 million worth of foodstuffs while their 360 counterparts in the House of Representatives were given N100 million worth each.
While noting that though a honourable member of the House from Edo was seen in a video gone viral displaying a warehouse filled with thousands of bags of rice, he said some senators and reps were still denying that they collected palliatives from the president.
“We see this as an attempt to trivialize the federal government’s efforts at ameliorating the sufferings of the hoi polloi. Some of our lawmakers are causing confusion.
“How can only one lawmaker openly show his constituents thousands of bags of rice while the rest keep mum?
“How can the reps admit collecting massive palliatives while senators deny receiving anything? Is the Senate filled with saboteurs and confusionists?”
MURIC demanded urgent and immediate clarification from the leaderships of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, saying, “Where are their spokespersons?
“They must speak up before it is too late. Delay is dangerous. Nigerians are hungry. This is the kind of thing that provokes people. Procrastination is the thief of time. Anarchists look for lacuna like this to spread their tales of horror in order to incite the masses against the government.”
It appealed to the remaining members of the House who have received the palliatives to quickly begin the sharing among their constituents.