The Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu has said the bags of rice he recently distributed to his constituents in Igbere, Bende local government area of the state was not donated by the federal government. This is in response to the rumours that the bags of rice branded in the former Abia governor’s image were donated to the Senate for distribution to their constituents.
In a video release, Sen. Kalu, former Chief Whip of the Senate noted that the rice was sponsored by Orji Uzor Kalu Foundation, a custom he said the non-governmental organisation has upheld for decades.
“The rice I shared in Igbere, carrying my picture is a normal rice that Orji Uzor Kalu Foundation has been giving since 1986 and we used to share to the whole state — Abia North, South and Central and we also shared to less privileged persons in other parts of the country. “It is not rice from the Senate. If we will collect rice, unless we will collect it tomorrow but as of now, I have not collected any rice from the Senate”, the lawmaker stated. He said donations from NEMA had since been distributed, urging his constituent to ignore the rumour.
The former Governor had distributed 25,000 bags of rice and cash grants in Igbere his home town to enable his constituents celebrate the yuletide. Some members of the House of Representatives had confirmed the receipt of bags of rice for distribution from the federal government in their various constituencies.
