Abaribe Denies Receiving N500 Million, Explains Allocation Disparity

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, representing the Abia South Senatorial District, has addressed the disparities in the distribution of the Zonal Intervention Project fund, clarifying the allocation process. This clarification comes in the wake of allegations by Senator Agom Jarigbe of Cross River North, who claimed that ranking senators received N500 million while he received nothing.

During a session in the Senate, Jarigbe raised concerns about budget padding and unequal distribution of funds, particularly pointing out discrepancies in the allocation received by ranking senators compared to others.

However, speaking on Arise TV, Senator Abaribe refuted claims of receiving N500 million, stating that he received N266 million from the funds allocated to members of the National Assembly in the six geopolitical zones.

Abaribe explained that the allocation of funds is based on the number of states in each zone, with some zones receiving more due to having a higher number of states. For example, the Northwest zone, with seven states, would receive less per senator compared to the Southeast zone, which has five states.

He clarified that each zone receives N10 billion for intervention projects, with the allocation divided between the Senate and the House of Representatives. In his case, representing Abia State, he received approximately N266 million, while senators from zones with more states would receive proportionately less.

Senator Abaribe emphasized that the allocation process is not equal for every constituency and is based on the number of states in each zone, ensuring that larger zones with more states receive a larger share of the funds.

The clarification by Senator Abaribe sheds light on the distribution of funds in the National Assembly, highlighting the need for a fair and transparent allocation process based on the demographics of each zone.

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