House of Reps responds to NLC’s accusation, denies receiving N100 million palliatives each from Govt
Story from Christine TOBECHUKWU, Abuja
The House of Representatives has refuted claims made by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) alleging that lawmakers had received N100 million from the Federal Government as palliatives to mitigate the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by Christopher Onyeka, the National Assistant Secretary of the NLC, it was alleged that members of the National Assembly were given this amount by the government.
This accusation, included in the NLC’s notice of an indefinite strike, criticized the government for distributing a mere bag of rice to a dozen citizens while reportedly granting N100 million in palliatives to each National Assembly member.
Responding to these allegations, Akin Rotimi, the House Committee Chairman on Media and Public Affairs, dismissed them as baseless and lacking in factual accuracy.
In a statement released on Wednesday evening, Rotimi emphasized that the NLC’s claims were “malicious, irresponsible, and made in bad faith.”
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The statement read: “The House of Representatives notes with concern news reports across multiple newspapers, electronic, and online media, of a statement credited to the National Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, Mr Christopher Onyeka.
“First, we state categorically that Mr Onyeka lied in his claim that National Assembly members were given N100m as palliatives.
“For the avoidance of doubt, at no time did members of the House of Representatives receive any money from the executive arm as palliatives. We, therefore, consider this statement as malicious, irresponsible, and in bad faith.
“We consider it irresponsible and most unfortunate that Mr Onyeka would misrepresent facts in a bid to lend credence to otherwise valid demands of the NLC while seeking to denigrate the National Assembly and inciting the public against the institution.
“Accordingly, the House of Representatives demands an immediate retraction of this lie and a public apology from the Nigeria Labour Congress.
“We wish to remind the NLC and indeed all Nigerians that in less than 100 days in the tenure of the 10th Assembly, we have demonstrated our commitment to the welfare of Nigerian workers and all Nigerians.”
