The Special Adviser to Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Darlington Orji, has alleged that the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly received ₦350 million each as constituency project funds, despite raising concerns over appropriation of smaller payments.
Orji, who made this allegation on The Morning Show on Arise News, said the funds were released during the tenure of the then Sole Administrator, Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, after the state’s Appropriation Act had been signed into law.
Responding to questions on the budget process and the escalating tension between the executive arm and the legislature, argued that the lawmakers had earlier accepted ₦350 million each for constituency projects without raising similar concerns about appropriation.
Orji spoke against the backdrop of an ongoing political standoff between Governor Fubara and the majority of lawmakers in the Assembly, a crisis that has culminated in the initiation of impeachment proceedings against the governor.
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Orji also referenced a ₦100,000 payment made in December to civil servants as an end-of-year appreciation, noting that the same amount was extended to lawmakers.
However, he said some legislators rejected the payment on the grounds that it was not appropriated.
He said, “You know that your platform is a very respected one, and I will not come here to tell lies. I will not say what I’m not sure of now. Because the Governor did not agree with them on that, they didn’t come up with a presentation.
“You know that in preparing the budget, there are too many things that will be improved that will make up the appropriation bill. And when they say the interest was not captured, and the man (Fubara) said, don’t worry, by December.
“So the specific amount I do not know as it stands today, because that presentation was not made because His Excellency, the governor, refused to accept that. But don’t forget, in December, there was N100,000 that was given to civil servants as a way of appreciating them and at the end of the package, it was also given to the members of Rivers. Some people rejected the money.
“They rejected it because it was not appropriate. You cannot build something out of nothing now, you rejected because N100,000 was not appropriated.
“Can you ask them, please, sir, the N350 million naira that was given to each of them for their constituency project, where did it come from? Why did they not reject it since it was not appropriate?”
Orji further claimed that the disbursement took place after the budget had been passed into law, adding that lawmakers did not object at the time.
“It was Ibok-Ete Ibas, the Sole Administrator, after the signing of the Appropriation Act, that the budget was passed into law; it was there that they gave them the money. Why did they not say it was not captured, and the SUV car?”
