Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, the representative of Abia State in the Senate, has drawn attention to the significant funding disparities between his zone, which comprises five states, and other zones with a greater number of states. In addition, he provided a detailed breakdown of fund allocation within his own state, revealing that Abia receives a mere 2 billion naira.
Expanding on the issue, Senator Abaribe highlighted the distribution of funds between the Senate and the House of Representatives, disclosing that the Senate receives 40% while the House receives 60%. Consequently, he emphasized the inherent inequality in the fund allocation process, as his constituency ward receives approximately 266 million naira, underscoring the disparity from the outset.
In an interview with Arise TV, Senator Abaribe refuted the idea that every constituency should be entitled to an equal amount of funds. He argued, “I have tried to clarify to say that all fingers are not equal and that, by the privilege of office, certain people will receive higher amounts. Not every senator is granted an equal share. For instance, there are six geopolitical zones in the country, each allocated 10 billion naira. A senator from the North West will receive less money than me, representing a zone with five states.”
Providing a deeper insight into the financial dynamics, the senator pointed out, “My state, Abia, receives 2 billion naira, and when we break it down between the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Senate gets 40%, and the House gets 60%. I receive about 266 million for my constituency ward. Thus, it is evident from the beginning that things are not equal. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense for us to assert that every constituency must receive an equal amount.”
