Lawmakers deny collecting N100m palliative, demand NLC’s apology, retraction

House of Representatives has dismissed a statement credited to Assistant General Secretary of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Christopher Onyeka, which claimed that each lawmaker collected N100 million as palliative.

The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Akin Rotimi, made the denial in a statement, yesterday, in Abuja, describing the claim as baseless.

Rotimi said while “we doubt that Onyeka was actually conveying the official position of NLC on this claim, it is nonetheless important to correct such misinformation.”

He said at no time did members of the House receive any money from the executive arm as palliatives. “Therefore, we consider this statement as malicious, irresponsible, and in bad faith.”

He added: “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 incite the public against the institution.

“The House of Representatives demands an immediate retraction of this lie and a public apology from the Nigeria Labour Congress. NLC, as a critical stakeholder in the development of Nigeria, has a voice and it risks delegitimising that voice, if it is found to include fables in its legitimate agitations.”