Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South), has reiterated his call for the sacking of the COVID-19 Palliative Measures Committee over its “dubious way” of distributing palliatives to indigent Nigerians.
The lawmaker had, on Thursday in Maiduguri, criticized the modus operandi being adopted by the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry and said the assignment should be given to a fresh committee that will use governors of the 36 States as links of distribution across the federation.
“We have received numerous complaints and it is actually very unfortunate…The president should, as a matter of urgency, form a task force that would deal with the issue of palliatives, headed by the military, police, civil defence, voluntary organisations and the NYSC among others,”Ndume had said.
But the Presidency on Friday accused Ndume of politicising a national emergency and challenged him to name the alleged kleptocrats in President Muhammadu Buhari’s government or keep quiet.
But in his reaction to the statement, Ndume said he stood by his observations and recommendations as far as palliatives distribution arising from COVID 19 was concerned.
Ndume, however, said he was not ready to join issues with anybody having made his observations known.
“I’m not ready to join issues with anybody on palliatives distribution , having made my observations known based on information I got from the grassroots as a grassroot person .
“I’ve made my position known on the programme and I stand by it,” he said .
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