The Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa has disclosed that he is never deterred by critics attempt to politicize his good intentions, as the lockdown persist to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic,stressing that he will do more in coming days to ameliorate its impact on the vulnerable.
Obasa also advised those criticising him for not doing enough with the relief packages he recently shared to amongst his constituents in Agege to stop playing politics with the lives of the people.
It would be recalled that, Obasa recently bankrolled the distribution of stimulus packages,with over 10,000 bags of rice, about 36,000 loaves of bread as well as loads of sanitisers to his constituents to ease the attendant hardship experienced.
Although, majority of the beneficiaries of the Speaker’s largesse, which cut across vulnerable people in all the Wards of Agege local government, Orile LCDA as well as Alimosho local government area have continued to praise him, it appears that a section of people in the community have decided to play politics with the gesture.
Speaking about the development on Sunday, the Speaker warned against ”playing with people’s economic life,” as he state that his priority was to reach out to his people, especially the most vulnerable, and not to try to make political gains out of the scheme.
Obasa’s position comes amid reports that the acclaimed rejection of the gesture has political undertone rather than the general interest in the well-being of the people.
The Speaker, while laughing off claims in a video that he shared bread, wondered why the mischief makers displayed that alone from among the other items which include 10,000 2kg bags of rice, 1,500 packs of table water and sanitizers.
“Let’s take the bread for example, it is even surprising that people are not looking at the economic value of sharing the loaves among thousands of the less-privileged.
“What they do not understand is that the bakers have smiled while the beneficiaries also smiled. The loaves went that far because of the number. Now take the rice into consideration and think of how many constituents and residents for the relief.
“People can play politics but I would advise that we don’t resort to playing politics with people’s life-support.
“I wouldn’t allow the criticisms to deter me from being there for my people,I would rather continue to give more palliative support to my people in the coming days”.
He also denied claims that the packages were politically motivated, adding that it was shared among everybody who had the opportunity to benefit and these cut across religion, politics and other considerations.
“How can someone who distributed over 36, 000 loaves of bread give just four loaves to a household? How can infected grains be repackaged by a man who generously distributes 10,000 packs of rice? It is nice for people to talk and act knowing that posterity is an ultimate judge,” he said.
Adding that he had been encouraged by the number of calls and messages he had received in appreciation of the gesture.
