Mukhtar Umar Yarima, the lawmaker representing Tarauni Federal Constituency of Kano State, has come under fire from his constituents over his choice of Ramadan palliatives—sorghum and millet, Premium Times reports.
The distribution, intended to provide relief during the fasting period, has sparked outrage, with many residents taking to social media to express their displeasure.
A viral video shows some beneficiaries mocking the gesture, arguing that they are not horses to be fed with sorghum. Another clip captures security guards flogging people as they scramble to collect their share under the scorching sun.
“These are the sorghum and millet that a member representing Tarauni, an in-law to Rabiu Kwankwaso, is distributing to his constituents. He is now a celebrity, with people taking selfies with him, while some beneficiaries enjoy the air conditioning at the distribution site,” Facebook user Abba Wrecca wrote in a post accompanying the video.
Some residents compared the lawmaker’s gesture with those of lawmakers in other constituencies who distributed more valuable items such as motorcycles and plots of land. “I swear to God, my mother will not eat this in the month of Ramadan,” one constituent lamented.
Others ridiculed the lawmaker’s choice of grains, insinuating that he shared them because he was used to eating them. “Oh my God, we are not horses. Even horses have stopped eating sorghum,” Dayyib Usman mocked.
Another commentator, Umar Mai Rice, joined in the criticism, while Zakareeyah Xavi condemned the lawmaker, saying, “He has disgraced the people of Tarauni Federal Constituency. Tell him that he is a representative of the people, not horses.”
Frustrated beneficiaries reportedly abandoned the grains at the distribution center, further emphasizing their dissatisfaction.
However, supporters of Muktar Yarima defended him, arguing that he also distributed rice and beans alongside the sorghum and millet.
