Some members of the House of Representatives have rejected bags of rice donated by David Umahi, minister of works, over “stringent conditions” attached to the distribution process.
Sources within the lower legislative chamber said that the legislators are unhappy with the procedure outlined in an internal memo circulated to members on the collection of the rice.
In the memo, legislative aides were required to obtain special forms from the speaker’s office, present photocopies of their official identity cards, and secure written authorisation from their principals before the rice would be released.
The memo also directed that completed forms be submitted to the special adviser on finance for processing, with collection scheduled for Garki International Market, near the old Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) quarters.
According to the memo, lawmakers are to begin collecting the rice from Monday, January 26, upon completion and validation of the required documentation.
A lawmaker said that many of his colleagues considered the process “cumbersome and undignified” for elected representatives for 125 kg of rice.
“Why should lawmakers be subjected to this kind of screening before collecting bags of rice?” he asked.
Another source said lawmakers have asked the minister to take the rice to the vulnerable people in Ebonyi state.
Lawmakers also questioned the rationale behind routing the collection through a private shop at a public market, rather than within the national assembly complex.
Umahi served as governor of Ebonyi between 2015 and 2023. He was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and later defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) during his second term.
He was elected to the senate in the 2023 general election but later resigned after President Bola Tinubu appointed him as minister of works.
It is a common practice for lawmakers to receive gifts and welfare items from members of the executive branch, especially during festive periods.
The gestures are goodwill moves aimed at strengthening cooperation between both arms of government.
In addition, ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) are known to provide logistical and financial support for lawmakers’ oversight visits, particularly when committees conduct inspections of projects and facilities across the country.
The controversy surrounding Umahi’s donation stemmed mainly from the conditions attached to its distribution, rather than the donation itself.
