EXPOSED! N50Bn Allegedly Smuggled Into 2020 Budget By A Few Senators

Uneasy calm has enveloped the National Assembly following allegations of budget padding and the marginalisation of some legislators in the allocation of constituency project funds.

Daily Sun learnt that trouble started when a document on project funding became public showing that about 15 senators, who are predominantly principal officers, got the lion’s share of the additional N50 billion earmarked for constituency projects in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). There were also other projects inserted into the bloated budget to benefit some unnamed lawmakers.

A document obtained by newsmen in Abuja revealed that funds earmarked for constituency projects of some lawmakers were different from the statutory N100 billion captured in the budget.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, his deputy, Ovie Omo-Agege and Lagos senators, are among those alleged to have got huge sums. While some got over N1 billion to fund constituency projects, others did not get a dime. About 90 senators are believed to have been shortchanged.

A senator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed some staff of the National Assembly who were privy to the development, leaked the information.

“I am a committee chairman and I did my work diligently not knowing that some privileged senators smuggled some of their projects into the budget without carrying us along.

“It was the same thing they did with job recruitment; they selected few people and ignored the rest of us. There will be consequences. This selective justice must stop.”

Read more at
https://www.sunnewsonline.com/rumble-in-senate-over-n50bn-constituency-fund/