2024 Budget: I got more than others – Senator Ndume reacts to Agom-Jarigbe’s N500m claim

2024 Budget: I got more than others – Senator Ndume reacts to Agom-Jarigbe’s N500m claim

Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume has said that as a principal
officer in the 10th National Assembly, he received more than the N200m
allocation, which is the amount given to some of his colleagues and floor
members for constituency projects in the 2024 Appropriation Act.

 

Senator Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial
District, said this on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on
Wednesday.

 

The lawmaker was responding to allegations by Senator
Jarigbe Agom-Jarigbe from Cross River North, who yesterday revealed that some
senators got a total of N500 million each from the 2024 Budget for constituency
projects.

 

He said, “My colleagues know that I got more than them
[floor members].

 

“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…My colleagues know that I go more than them.”

 

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.

 

Ningi had said N3.7trn was not tied to any project in the
2024 N28.7trn budget.

 

Agom-Jarigbe had alleged that some Senators are guilty of
such practice, adding that some senior senators got N500 million each from the
2024 Appropriation Act.

 

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 of the senators don’t know
what I get and I will not tell you.”

Source: 2024 Budget: I got more than others – Senator Ndume reacts to Agom-Jarigbe’s N500m claim

 - NigerianEye
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