Dare Babalola
Darlington Orji, Special Adviser to Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has slammed Rivers lawmakers, alleging they pocketed N350m each for constituency projects, contradicting their claims of unapproved payments.
Orji dropped the bombshell on Arise Television on Friday, addressing questions on the budget process and the ongoing standoff between the governor’s office and the state Assembly.
He mentioned that civil servants got N100,000 as a year-end thank-you gift in December, and the same amount was offered to lawmakers – but some rejected it, claiming it wasn’t budgeted for.
Orji questioned the rejection, arguing that the lawmakers had previously accepted N350 million each for constituency projects without raising concerns about appropriation.
He said, “You know that your platform is a very respected one, and I will not come here to tell lies. I will not say what I’m not sure of now. Because the Governor did not agree with them on that, so they didn’t come up with a presentation.
“You know that in preparing budget, there are too many things that will be improved that will make up the appropriation bill. And when they say the interest was not captured, and the man (Fubara) said, don’t worry, by December.
“So the specific amount I do not know as it stands today, because that presentation was not made because His Excellency, the governor, refused to accept that. But don’t forget, in December, there was N100,000 that was given to civil servants as a way of appreciating them and end of the package, it was also given to the members of Rivers. Some people rejected the money.
“They rejected it that it was not appropriated. You cannot build something of nothing now you rejected because N100,000 was not appropriated. Can you ask them, please, sir, the N350 million naira that was given to each of them for their constituency project, where did it come from? Why did they not reject it since it was not appropriated?”
