Lockdown: No N264million palliative for Nasarawa legislators - State govt

- The Nasarawa state government has denied doling out N11million each to lawmakers in the state as part of palliatives

- The government described the report as untrue, false and malicious aimed at tarnishing its image

- Reports had suggested that a total of N264million was earmarked for the lawmakers in the state as palliatives

The Nasarawa state government has denied social media rumours that it gave out N264 million to the 24 members of the state House of Assembly as a COVID-19 palliative.

The rumours had suggested each lawmaker got N11 million each from the government to assist their constituents during the lockdown period.

A statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Tijjani Aliyu Ahmed, described the report as “untrue, false and malicious aimed at, not only tarnishing the image of our honourable members, but also that of the governor of Nasarawa state.”

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While calling on the people of the state to ignore such reports, the SSG urged the public to “also consider it as handwork of mischief-makers bent on bringing disaffection on the already existing cordial relationship between the executive and the legislative arms of government in the state.”

He further appealed to the people of the state to always seek clarification on government activities from appropriate quarters, warning that government will not hesitate to sanction those spreading fake news.

Meanwhile, the chairman Senate committee on the army, Senator Muhammadu Ali Ndume, has called for the disbandment of the presidential committee on the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives.

Ndume, a former Senate leader, representing Borno South senatorial district, alleged that the distribution exercise is fraudulent.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) senator made the allegation while addressing journalists in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital on Tuesday, April 13.

“I have reliable information that the register is fake; some people are rushing to steal the money meant for those who deserve the palliatives, and I feel pained about this,” he said.

Before Ndume's allegation, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had alleged that officials of the APC-led federal government are using the deadly COVID-19 pandemic as a gateway for corrupt profiteering and looting of the nation's treasury.

The party made the allegation in a statement sent to journalists on Saturday, April 11 by its spokesman, Kola Ologbodiyan.

The opposition party lamented that “allegations of diversion of billions of naira meant for palliatives to vulnerable citizens is already frustrating the commitment by Nigerians and other well-meaning groups in the overall effort to combat the spread of the scourge in our country.”

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