Lawmakers Now Get ₦1bn–₦2bn Each For Projects After Subsidy Removal – APC Chieftain
- ‘We Don’t Get Such Funds’ – Bamidele Salam Replies
A former aspirant for the House of Representatives and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State, Mr David Ayodele Asalu, has alleged that members of the National Assembly now receive unprecedented amounts for constituency projects following the removal of fuel subsidy by the Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government.
Asalu, who contested the Ede North/Ede South/Egbedore/Ejigbo Federal Constituency seat, made the remark on Wednesday while speaking at a public forum on transparency and accountability in governance held in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
According to him, members of the House of Representatives now allegedly receive not less than ₦1 billion each for constituency projects, while Senators reportedly get up to ₦2 billion.
“There is no honourable member in Nigeria currently getting less than ₦1 billion for constituency projects. For Senators, it’s now not less than ₦2 billion,” Asalu said.
He attributed the sharp rise in project allocations to lawmakers to the removal of the fuel subsidy in 2023, a move which he argued has plunged many Nigerians into deeper economic hardship.
“Once subsidy was removed and states began receiving more money, the same applied to National Assembly members. But people should stop thinking these lawmakers are spending their personal money on constituency projects—it’s from these inflated allocations,” he added.
- ‘We Don’t Get Such Funds’ – Bamidele Salam Replies
However, a swift rebuttal came from the incumbent lawmaker representing Ede North/Ede South/Egbedore/Ejigbo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Bamidele Salam, who described Asalu’s claim as “fallacious, mischievous and unreasonable.”
In a statement issued on Thursday, Salam explained that members of the National Assembly do not receive any direct payments for constituency projects, stressing that lawmakers only nominate projects to be implemented by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
“No member of the House of Representatives or Senate receives any payments as constituency project fund, capital project fund, or any form of cash allocation for constituency projects,” Salam stated.
He further clarified that lawmakers are merely facilitators who propose projects during budget preparations. According to him, implementation and funding are exclusively handled by the Executive.
“The budget, once passed by the National Assembly, becomes the responsibility of the Executive to implement. Contractors are awarded jobs by government agencies—not by lawmakers. In fact, in most cases, we do not even know the contractors handling the projects,” he added.
Salam also cited examples of projects worth several billions of naira ongoing across the Ede Federal Constituency, including road rehabilitation, electrification and school construction—all of which, he emphasised, were facilitated but not funded by him.
He warned against spreading misinformation that could mislead the public about the constitutional roles of legislators, insisting that project facilitation by lawmakers is a globally recognised democratic practice, not a sign of personal financial involvement.
While acknowledging President Tinubu for allowing the National Assembly to push for more rural development projects in the 2024 and 2025 budgets, Salam reiterated that the claim of ₦1bn or ₦2bn being paid directly to lawmakers was not only misleading but also capable of undermining public trust in democratic institutions.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
