A former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has said that constituents must feel the impact of government in their areas to justify the funds allocated to constituency projects.

Mr Obanikoro said this in an interview with journalists in Lagos on Friday.

He spoke against the backdrop of the alleged budget padding saga that rocked the Senate and the disclosures on funds allocated to constituency projects.

Allegations of budget padding emerged after the lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi, in a BBC interview on March 9, alleged that N3.7 trillion was not tied to specific projects in the 2024 budget.

The Senate, unhappy with the allegation, expressed displeasure with the lawmaker’s action, which it said put it in bad light.

After deliberating on the issue and dismissing the padding allegation, members of the upper chamber voted to suspend Ningi for three months after finding his explanations for his action unacceptable.

In spite of the development, some people have called for a deeper probe into the allegation.

Speaking on the issue, Mr Obanikoro dismissed the padding allegation, saying that what was so misconstrued was allocated to constituency projects.

He, however, said that the impact of the projects must be felt in the constituencies and there was a need for moderation.

“There’s nothing like padding; it’s been misconstrued. I don’t know if that is deliberate or not, but it, in its actual sense, is for constituency projects. As a senator, you’re responsible for your constituency by executing projects that will better the lives of people in your respective constituencies that you represent; that’s not padding.

”However, everything should be in moderation, and members of the constituency must feel the impact of the government in that constituency. That’s what justifies the essence of constituency projects,” he said.

Mr Obanikoro spoke days after a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adeniyi Akintola, said Nigerian lawmakers had no business with constituency projects but to make laws that would enhance good governance.

Mr Akintola told journalists in Abuja on Thursday while reacting to the allegation of padding of the 2024 appropriation bill by the Senate.

Mr Akintola noted that under the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), the National Assembly had no power to execute any project, saying it was the responsibility of the executive.

He lamented how society had been aiding lawmakers to take on duties that were not theirs.

The senior advocate attributed this to the ignorance of the electorate.

“We cannot blame the national assembly members. The electorate doesn’t know that the function of the national assembly is to make laws and not to allocate projects.

“Unfortunately, it is the same electorate that will go to them and be asking for largesse, palliative or what have you,” he said.

The legal luminary stressed the need for political education among the electorate to enhance good governance in the country.

He said Nigerians should hold their lawmakers accountable and ensure that they see to the implementation of budgets as stipulated.

(NAN)