The people and residents of Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency have returned bags of rice distributed by the lawmaker representing the area in the National Assembly, Hon Jimi Odimayo, stating that the rice is not suitable for consumption.

The people, who lamented the repackaged bags of rice distributed to the residents during the Yuletide, felt the need to return the rice to the lawmaker as it was not fit for consumption.

Some constituency members displayed the coloured rice in bags branded with Odimayo’s picture. One woman was surprised, saying, “This is a surprise to me because I have never seen someone give out this kind of rice. He (Odimayo) said he wants to be governor and see the kind of rice he distributed to people. We are not hungry; we feed ourselves. Nobody should come and give us poison to eat. If you eat this one, Ibukunolu (hospital) can’t do the surgery.”

Another man commented, “The rice is terribly bad, dangerous for consumption. It is not good at all. Look at the rice the governor (Odimayo) shared. It is full of stones. The stones in it are even more than rice. In fact, we couldn’t eat the one we cooked yesterday. Take a look at the cooked one and the uncooked; both are obviously injurious for consumption. You can imagine someone who wants to be governor has the courage to share this kind of rice with people. Nobody, including young and old, can eat it. It is not good at all. I have never seen this kind of rice before, a rice that has about two to three colours. Can’t you see how it looks? This is really serious.”

However, the lawmaker, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Victor Adedeji, dismissed the allegations. He described the residents’ actions as an attempt by detractors to tarnish the hardworking image of Odimayo.

He stated that, “The public is strongly encouraged to dismiss these allegations, considering them not just malicious but also an unscrupulous attempt by detractors to tarnish the hardworking image of Hon. Jimi Odimayo. His unwavering commitment to delivering democratic benefits to constituents remains steadfast.

“The public should also know that the rice distributed was sourced from reputable suppliers and underwent stringent quality checks before distribution.

“Apart from the distribution of high-quality rice, Hon. Jimi Odimayo equally provided relief materials and financial aid sourced from his personal funds, a practice he has diligently maintained since 2014.

“Despite claims made in the video suggesting the rice was full of stones and unfit for consumption, Hon. Odimayo assures constituents that the rice provided was ‘Brown Rice’ approved by the federal government of acceptable quality and suitable for consumption.

“He reiterated his commitment to the welfare and well-being of his constituents and expressed regret over any misconceptions arising from the circulated video.

“The public should also note that efforts are ongoing to reach out to additional stakeholders for their perspective on this matter, and further updates will be provided as the situation unfolds,” the statement added. (Nigerian Tribune)

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