A move by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, to distribute bags of rice to members of the House of Representatives has triggered mixed reactions and internal disagreements among lawmakers.

The gesture, which involves the allocation of five 25-kilogramme bags of rice to each of the 360 lawmakers, has been described by some legislators as a goodwill offering, while others see it as inappropriate and potentially embarrassing for the parliament.

According to sources within the House, arrangements were made for lawmakers to collect the rice through designated aides after the leadership shared details of the distribution process on the lawmakers’ internal communication platform. The rice is said to be available for pickup at a market location in Abuja, following the submission of duly completed authorisation forms.

Some members believe the donation may be a way for the executive arm to appreciate the legislature’s cooperation with President Bola Tinubu’s administration over the past two years. A lawmaker from Edo State, Billy Osawaru, said he was initially unaware of the plan but suggested it could be linked to the cordial relationship between both arms of government.

However, others strongly criticised the move. Afam Ogene, who represents Ogbaru Federal Constituency in Anambra State, questioned the timing and value of the gift, noting that lawmakers had already distributed large quantities of food items to their constituents during the festive season. He described the rice donation as demeaning and argued that lawmakers deserved gestures that would directly benefit their constituencies.

Ogene also warned that repeated gift-giving by a serving minister could raise concerns and send the wrong message to the public. He added that infrastructure projects, such as roads in lawmakers’ constituencies, would have been more meaningful than bags of rice.

Another lawmaker from the North-West, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the development angered many members, especially those frustrated by the poor implementation of constituency projects in recent budgets. According to him, some lawmakers may decline the rice entirely, while others might allow their aides to collect it for personal use.

He added that heated debates erupted among members over the issue, with some arguing that the National Assembly was being exposed to public ridicule. There were also suggestions from some lawmakers that the minister should redirect the rice to fellow cabinet members instead.