FG reportedly approved mere N2.5 billion for the purchase of deep freezers, generators as empowerment items for Sen. Akpabio’s constituency

Facts have emerged on how the President Bola Tinbu-led Nigerian government approved the sum of N2.5billion for Senate President, Godswill Akpabio to procure deep freezers, generators and other items as empowerment projects for the people of his constituency, Sahara Reporters.

A screenshot of the budget shared by a popular social media critic, Mahdi Shehu on X revealed that the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs inserted five different empowerment projects for the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District at the sum of N500,000,000 each.

“EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN WITH DEEP FREEZERS, GENERATORS AND OTHER EMPOWERMENT ITEMS TO BOOST THEIR DAILY EARNING IN THE TWO (2) LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF NORTH WEST SENATORIAL DISTRICT AT 250M EACH (IΚΟΝΟ & ABAK),” one of the projects reads,

Meanwhile, the lawmaker representing Cross River North Senatorial District, Senator Agom Jarigbe, on Tuesday revealed that some “senior” senators received N500million each from the 2024 budget for constituency projects.

Senator Jarigbe made the revelation on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday amid controversy over budget padding allegations made by Senator Abdul Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central Senatorial District on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Ningi alleged that the Senate leadership padded the 2024 budget with N3.7 trillion, adding that the National Assembly passed a budget of N25 trillion for the 2024 fiscal appropriation year. According to the lawmaker, the passed budget is in contrast with the N28.7 trillion being implemented by the federal government and hence, this led to the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi.