Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume has reacted to the controversy surrounding the allocation of funds to lawmakers for constituency projects in their various senatorial districts.
Ndume was responding to allegations by Senator Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe from Cross River North that some senators got about N500 million each from the 2024 budget for constituency projects.
The Herald recalls that Agom-Jarigbe had on Tuesday, during a story session in Abuja, made the startling disclosure while the lawmakers debated budget padding claims by Senator Abdul Ningi from Bauchi Central Senatorial District.
Speaking with ChannelsTV on Wednesday, Ndume revealed that he and other leaders of the 10th Senate got more than the N200 million allocation his colleagues and floor members received for constituency projects in the 2024 budget.
“My colleagues know that I go more than them (floor members). All the senators have N200 million (each) as their constituency projects but I am a leader. That is the difference,” Ndume announced.
“Ten of us are leaders including those in the opposition. We get more than the floor members. It’s normal… My colleagues know that I go more than them,” he added.
Further checks revealed that the current leaders of the 10th Senate include:
- Godswill Akpabio – Senate President
- Jibrin Barau – Deputy Senate President
- Opeyemi Bamidele – Senate Majority Leader
- Oyelola Yisa Ashiru – Deputy Majority Leader
- Ali Ndume – Chief Whip
- Lola Ashiru – Deputy Whip
- Abba Moro – Minority Leader
- Kamorudeen Olarere – Deputy Minority Leader
- Darlington Nwokeocha – Senate Minority Whip
- Rufai Hanga – Deputy Minority Whip
When asked whether the claim by Agom-Jarigbe was true, Ndume said: “It’s disparity now, we are not the same; all animals are equal but some are more equal than the other. That’s what the case is. They have agreed to that.
“All the senators have N200m (each) as their constituency projects but I am a leader. That is the difference. 10 of us are leaders including those in the opposition. We get more than the floor members. It’s normal.
“That decision is taken by the senators. We have the senate budget committee before but now the floor members entrusted that to the presiding officers. That’s the difference. So, most the senators don’t know what I get and I will not tell you,” he added.