**The Pork Barrel Padding Of The 2024 Budget: A Gluttonous Conspiracy of NASS Members Without Conscience**

In a move that could only be described as a brazen display of greed and disregard for the common man, the National Assembly of Nigeria (NASS) has once again laid bare its priorities, or the lack thereof, for the entire nation to see. The recent padding of the 2024 budget with the NASS inserting a total of 7,447 projects budgeted to cost N2.24 TRILLIONS continues an ugly trend that has now been shamelessly accelerated in the 10th National Assembly.

This new level orgy of pork barrel politics reveals a gluttonous feast at the public trough, with members of the assembly, irrespective of their political affiliations, partaking in what can only be termed as the public rape of the common man. The details, as laid out by Olufemi Adegbulugbe of the Federalist Majority in his viral social media article, expose the depth of the rot within.

These projects, for over N2.4 TRILLIONS, many of which bear no national significance, are tailored to personal interests, highlighting a disheartening departure from the assembly’s duty to the populace. This egregious act of self-service is compounded by the increase of their allocation from N197 billion to a record N344 billion, at time when the people have lost over 50% of their purchasing power from a year ago and in a nation where the minimum wage is still less than $30 a month, setting a new high of insensitivity in the annals of legislative largesse.

This writeup is mostly focused on the objectionable line items and pork barrel allocations that the so-called representatives have inserted for their own benefit while leaving the masses under the bus of crushing inflation and runaway exchange rates

Among the ridiculous line items are expenditures for a NASS Printing Press that prints nothing, a NASS Library for legislators that mostly don’t read; an e-Library for mostly digital illiterates who mostly get their assitants to read and post on Twitter for them; new car parks when the current one is barely 50% full on a good day , and even a recreation center for our ‘representatives’ to watch movies instead of sitting in the mostly empty legislative chambers to make  good laws for the good our nation. Many of these mundane projects costs billions of Naira that our nation cannot afford at this time

Here are some of the figures for some of the most ridiculous pork barrel line items approved by our so-called ‘representatives’ of the people for themselves, in case you have not read Adegbulure’s article:

A. NASS Printing press.  N3 billion

B. NASS Library. N12.1 billion

C. NASS Library Book procurement N3 billion

D. NASS e-library N225 million

E. Senate Car Park N3 billion

F. Reps Car Park. N3 billion

G. NASS recreation center N4 billion

H. NASS Hospital Project. N15 billion

For those who have not done the math: The NASS budget is twice the total allocation to all 26 Federal Universities.

Most outrageous, perhaps, is the allocation of N15 billion for a NASS Hospital Project, a sum sufficient to establish a primary healthcare center in every local government area across the country. The irony is thick, as this comes at a time when Nigeria grapples with budget deficits and resorting to external borrowing to balance its books. It’s happening at a time when Dr Cardozo and his team of economic ‘geniuses’ like Dr Tope Fasua, our economic adviser to the President weee busing doing ‘Eyije Eyioje’ trial and error strategy for the economy and the ‘Borrow and Flood’ strategy to try to bring down the runaway exchange rate of our Maria to the dollar🤷🏿‍♂️

The constituents, especially the masses who continued to see their purchasing power diminishing every day under the double whammy of a runaway inflation and the daily rising exchange rates, hoped for change with the induction of new members, including some ‘Obidient Politicians’ from the Labor Party that we hoped will help make a difference, and others from other parties that were known for their commitment to public service.

Yet, their hopes were dashed as many of these members, too, seemingly voted in favor of this self-serving budget, which includes lavish allowances for official cars amounting to $200,000 each (about N250,000,000 each!) in a country where the minimum wage lingers below $30 a month.

This conspiracy of the majority of the  NASS and participation of most of them in crafting and approving this padding budget of gluttony starkly contrasts with the National Assembly’s supposed role as a representative body for all Nigerians. It reveals a disturbing consensus among NASS members, who appear united, regardless of party affiliation, in their indifference towards the plight of the average Nigerian, focusing instead on enriching themselves and their cronies within the Ikoyi elite circles.

The budget of gluttony’s approval, devoid of any pretense towards national development or inclusivity, marks not just a moral low point for the assembly but a clarion call for Nigerians to demand accountability. The extravagance and self-indulgence showcased by these pork barrel allocations reflect not just on the individuals involved but on a systemic malaise that threatens the very fabric of our nation.

As I stand at my rickety Balcony in Fadeyi, watching the ongoing disregard for the wishes of the downtrodden by our leaders, the question asked by Adegbulugbe in his write up looms: where do we go from here? With a legislative body seemingly entrenched in the perpetuation of legislative corruption and self-interest, the path forward for Nigeria remains uncertain. The blatant disregard for the welfare of the common man, as demonstrated by the 2025 Pork Barrel Budget, underscores an urgent need for systemic reform and a reevaluation of the principles guiding those elected to serve.

In light of these revelations, one cannot help but echo Adegbulugbe’s sentiment of disillusionment with the current state of affairs. If the members of the National Assembly have any shred of conscience left, they would do well to remember that they are servants of the people, not their overlords. The need for change is apparent, and the time for action is now. Nigeria cannot, and must not, continue on this path of gluttony and neglect.

My name is Ope Banwo, I am not a politician but I believe citizens must continue to engage, monitor and push their representatives to do better