Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Solomon Adeola, on Sunday, decried what he described as persistent misinformation and public misunderstanding surrounding the role of the National Assembly in Nigeria’s budgeting process.
Speaking at the 2nd Annual Retreat of the Remo Traditional Council held in Sagamu, Ogun State, the lawmaker said the legislature is often unfairly portrayed as the villain in public discourse on the budget, especially in discussions around so-called “budget padding,” “insertions,” and “constituency projects.”
Adeola, who represents Ogun West Senatorial District, delivered a lecture titled “The Role of Legislature in Shaping a Holistic Budget for Nigeria,” during which he emphasized that the National Assembly’s input into the budget is not only constitutional but essential to ensuring equitable development across the country.
“There is a lot of misinformation and sometimes outright falsehood out there on the issue of budget in Nigeria,” Adeola stated. “The legislature is often wrongly portrayed as the villain in our budgeting process. Accusations relating to the budget like ‘budget padding,’ ‘insertions,’ and ‘constituency projects’ are regularly thrown around in the media against the legislature, creating confusion and casting aspersions on parliamentarians among citizens.”
According to a statement by his media adviser, Chief Kayode Odunaro, the senator explained that since the return to democratic rule in 1999, misconceptions about the legislative arm’s role in budgeting have persisted, with the public frequently misled about the nature and intent of lawmakers’ interventions.
Adeola stressed that the budget is not merely a compilation of figures but a strategic policy document aimed at serving the interests of all Nigerians. He maintained that the legislature has a constitutional responsibility to ensure no part of the country is neglected in the allocation of public resources.
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“The needs of each area of Nigeria in terms of development are multi-faceted and diverse,” he said. “This is why each senator and member of the House of Representatives is expected to make inputs based on the needs of their constituencies for possible inclusion in the budget. If successful, this is not budget padding or insertions, but using legislative power for the interest of the people.”
The senator further clarified that what is often described as “budget padding” or “insertions” are, in fact, legitimate legislative interventions aimed at ensuring balanced national development. He asserted that many rural and underserved communities would remain excluded from government attention without such interventions.
On constituency projects, Adeola explained that contrary to popular belief, such projects are not executed by lawmakers but are implemented by executive agencies and ministries.
“Constituency funds are domiciled in MDAs [Ministries, Departments, and Agencies], and lawmakers do not implement these projects themselves. It is therefore incorrect and unfair to accuse the legislature of budget padding in this context,” he said.
Citing Sections 80 to 84 of the 1999 Constitution, the senator emphasized that the National Assembly has exclusive appropriation powers over public funds.
“This power means that before any kobo is spent from the national treasury, it must first be approved by the National Assembly,” he concluded.
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