Budget Padding Allegations: I was Allocated N250M not N500 Million – Sen Tony Nwoye

In the midst of the ongoing controversy surrounding budget padding allegations, Senator Tony Nwoye, representing Anambra North Senatorial District under the Labour Party (LP), has refuted claims of receiving N500 million from the alleged 2024 budget.

This denial comes in response to revelations made by Senator Agom Jarigbe, representing Cross River North Senatorial District, who disclosed that certain senior senators received N500 million each from the budget. The disclosure was made on the floor of the Senate amidst escalating controversy triggered by Senator Abdul Ningi’s allegations of fraudulent inflation of the budget by N3.7 trillion.

Senator Ningi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Population, asserted in a recent interview with BBC Hausa that the National Assembly approved a budget of N25 trillion for the 2024 fiscal year, in stark contrast to the N28.7 trillion reportedly being implemented by the federal government.

The allegations have sparked widespread condemnation, with many Nigerians criticizing Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s leadership over the alleged fraudulent practices.

In the midst of the unfolding saga, Senator Nwoye clarified his stance in response to a query from a social media user, @RealOlaudah, expressing hope that he did not partake in the alleged misappropriation of funds. Senator Nwoye affirmed that he did not receive any N500 million as a constituency project. Instead, he stated that he was allocated N250 million for 2024 zonal intervention projects. Emphasizing his status as a first-time senator, he highlighted that the allocated funds had not yet been disbursed.

Reassuring his constituency, Senator Nwoye vowed to uphold their trust, elucidating that the allocation of funds, specifically 250 million naira to each senator from the South East, had been a longstanding practice predating his tenure in the House of Representatives in 2015. He clarified that the funds are not disbursed in cash to individual senators but are tied to specific projects aimed at addressing immediate community needs.