Budget Padding: “I Received N1bn Allocation for Constituency Projects”, Says Sen. Ned Nwoko

• Senator Ned Nwoko, who represents Delta North, revealed that he secured N1 billion for projects in his constituency
• He disclosed this while speaking with Seun Okinbaloye on the 'Mic On Podcast' on Channels Television
• This disclosure by Nwoko comes amidst the controversy raised by Senator Abdul Ningi regarding alleged budget padding in the 2024 budget, with an additional N3.7 trillion allocated, which is not allocated to any specific projects

Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil societies, courts, and metro

FCT, Abuja - Ned Nwoko, the senator representing Delta North, disclosed during an interview on the 'Mic On podcast' hosted by journalist Seun Okinbaloye of Channels Television that he successfully secured projects worth N1 billion for his constituents.

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This disclosure comes amid increased scrutiny of federal lawmakers' allocation of funds for constituency projects.

This scrutiny was triggered by recent allegations by Senator Jarigbe Jarigbe, who suggested that certain "senior" senators received N500 million for projects.

These discussions arose during a Senate session during which Senator Abdul Ningi, now suspended, claimed that the 2024 budget had been inflated by N3 trillion.

The lawmaker preferred a situation where each senator receives a set allocation for constituency projects.

As quoted by TheCable, he said:

“The way it is done now, you basically rely on your weights and contacts to see what you can get for your people,

“Well, it is just the system. Just the system. It is a system in Nigeria… like I said, I’d have preferred a situation where we all know what we are getting — you don’t need to lobby for it and it is a standard thing.

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“All the 109 senators from the onset should know what is going on in their particular district.

“A better approach would have been for senatorial uniformity. So if they say that everyone should get about N1 billion, so be it. But this way, you rely on your weight and contacts to see what you can get for your people."

Funds are for my constituents - Senator Nwoko

When asked whether he had received up to N1 billion in allocation, the senator affirmed that he had.

He emphasised that such funds were directed towards projects benefiting his constituents and attributing his status to such actions.

Senator Nwoko said:

“Of course I did. That’s why I am who I am. But these are projects for my people.”

The senator expressed a lack of interest in knowing the identities of contractors handling projects, emphasising his focus solely on completing projects secured for Delta North.

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Ali Ndume, the Senate's chief whip, remarked on March 13th that certain legislative leaders received larger allocations for constituency projects, suggesting a disparity in treatment akin to George Orwell's "Animal Farm."

Shehu Sani exposes how lawmakers carry out budget padding

In another report, Senator Shehu Sani has outlined the process through which the Senate manipulates budget documentation.

He explained how budget items are inflated compared to the original budget proposed by the presidency.

This revelation has led to widespread condemnation of the Senate's practice of padding budgets, with many netizens expressing their outrage.

Source: Legit.ng