Budget Padding: Sen Abaribe Opens Up On The Issue, Reveals How Much He Got

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe of Abia South Senatorial District has addressed the recent claims regarding the allocation of Zonal Intervention Project funds, clarifying the disparities in distribution.

During a Senate session, Senator Agom Jarigbe of Cross River North alleged that certain ranking senators received N500 million while he received nothing, raising concerns about budget padding.

Jarigbe’s assertion prompted Abaribe to provide clarity on the matter during an interview on Arise TV. He refuted the claim of receiving N500 million, stating that he received N266 million, which was part of the allocation to members of the National Assembly across the six geopolitical zones.

Abaribe highlighted the variation in allocations among zones, explaining that regions with more states, like the Northwest with seven states, would naturally receive less per senator compared to regions with fewer states, such as the Southeast with five states.

He emphasized the principle of proportional representation, stating, “Every zone gets its own N10 billion intervention… It’s not correct when we say every constituency must get an equal amount.”