The House of Representatives has described it as irresponsible and most unfortunate for the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to claim that lawmakers received N100 million as palliatives.
The Spokesperson of the House, Akin Rotimi, in a statement issued Wednesday said the House found it compelling to respond following the media reports credited to the National Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, Mr. Christopher Onyeka who claimed that the Executive arm had given N100m to National Assembly members as palliatives.
To this end, the House demanded an immediate retraction of this “lie”and a public apology from the Nigeria Labour Congress.
Rotimi said the House considered it irresponsible that 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.
The spokesperson stressed that the NLC as a critical stakeholder in the development of Nigeria has a voice and it risks delegitimising that voice if it was found to include fables in its legitimate agitations.
He described the claim as baseless and devoid of any factual accuracy.
Rotimi noted: “We state categorically that Mr. Onyeka lied in his claim that National Assembly members were given N100 million 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.”
The spokesperson stressed that transparency and truth in public discourse are necessary for a functioning democracy.
He said while the House doubted that Onyeka was actually conveying the official position of the NLC on this claim, it was nonetheless important to correct such misinformation.
Rotimi reminded the NLC and indeed all Nigerians that in less than 100 days in the tenure of the 10th Assembly, it has demonstrated its commitment to the welfare of Nigerian workers and all Nigerians.
He added that the House speedily carried out requisite legislative action on the Executive Arm of government’s request for approval of funds for palliatives for Nigerians.
Rotimi emphasised that the legislative arm has also consistently advocated for the Executive to expedite these palliative measures to reach vulnerable Nigerians effectively and efficiently, as well as added their voices to the call for an immediate review of the minimum wage.