7th January 2024
The Presidency has refuted the allegations that President Bola Tinubu gave cash to the National Assembly members as palliatives to the people in their constituencies and senatorial districts during the festive period.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, he clarified that the President only distributed rice and other food items as palliatives and sort of Constituency Projects worth N100million per Federal Constituency and N200million per Senatorial Constituency.
He explained that the food items were sourced through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and delivered to the NASS members who are considered to be closest to ordinary Nigerians in all parts of the country.
He also dismissed the insinuations from some Nigerians that some NASS members are hoarding the palliatives, saying that they can only distribute when they have received it, and that there are logistic reasons behind the distribution process.
He urged Nigerians to disregard any misinformation or propaganda that may suggest otherwise.
He wrote, “Clarification on the distributed NASS palliatives by the Presidency during the festive period:
“President Tinubu did not give cash to the National Assembly members as palliatives to the people in the constituencies and senatorial districts.
“The President through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security only distributed rice and other food items as palliatives and sort of Constituency Projects worth N100million per Federal Constituency and N200million per Senatorial Constituency.
“The NASS members who are considered to be closest to ordinary Nigerians people in all parts of the country.
“The emanating insinuations from some Nigerians out there suggesting that some National Assembly members are hoarding the palliatives is grossly misleading because they can only distribute when they have received it, and this is due to logistic reasons behind the distribution process.
“Again, 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.”