N2bn constituency projects: Onjeh Urges Nigerians to demand accountability from NASS members

Former Benue South senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Daniel Onjeh has urged Nigerians to stop blaming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the prevailing economic hardship.

He told them to instead demand accountability from their National Assembly representatives.

Onjeh’s remarks was in response to revelations by APC chieftain, Chief Ayodele Asalu, that each member of the House of Representatives receives at least ₦1 billion and each Senator receives a minimum of ₦2 billion annually for constituency projects.

Despite the explosive nature of these claims, not a single National Assembly member has come forward to refute them, even 72 hours after they were made public—a silence Onjeh describes as “no longer golden but rather an admittance by inaction.”

In a statement, Onjeh stated that while the CDP initiative was originally conceived to bridge the development gap in local communities, it has sadly become a conduit for systemic corruption, marked by abandoned projects, inflated contracts, and ghost interventions.

“Unlike executive projects that undergo due diligence through agencies such as the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), CDPs are shrouded in secrecy, with minimal oversight. This loophole creates the perfect breeding ground for corruption,” he noted.

He recalled a 2024 audit report which exposed how ₦500 million allocated for rural electrification in a Northern state vanished without a single pole or transformer installed. “This is not an isolated case; it’s a pattern,” he lamented.

Onjeh stressed that Tinubu has played his part by significantly increasing federal allocations to lawmakers to drive development at the grassroots. “Where the President has discharged his responsibilities effectively, we cannot continue to heap blame on him for the suffering in the land. How else can cash trickle to the grassroots if not through channels like constituency development projects?” he asked.

He further cited a House of Representatives member from Edo State, who revealed earlier in the year that two trailers of rice were allocated to each House member in December 2024—an effort by the Presidency to cushion the economic impact on citizens. Yet, many lawmakers deliberately concealed this information from their constituents, hoarding palliatives for reasons best known to them.

“It is time for Nigerians to wake up,” Onjeh charged. “It is not enough to lament. Citizens must rise up and demand accountability. It is their civic duty. Having discharged his obligation, they should not expect President Tinubu to spoon-feed them with CDPs or chase the lawmakers to implement them. The funds are in the hands of their senators and representatives—so demand explanations!”

Drawing from his tenure as Chairman of the Governing Board of the Projects Development Institute (PRODA), Enugu, Onjeh revealed how deeply entrenched corruption is in the system. “I saw firsthand how federal agencies have been turned into conduit pipes for looting public funds by powerful cabals. CDPs are no exception.”

Onjeh condemned what he described as the complicity of Nigerians in their own marginalisation, noting that if such abuse occurred in saner climes, it would spark outrage. “Here, people have become desensitized, assuming corruption is normal. That resignation must end.”

He observed that while billions are disbursed annually, most communities still lack potable water, basic healthcare, and functional infrastructure. “In my own constituency of Benue South, there’s a case of a ₦2 billion road project that was abandoned after minimal work—funds allegedly diverted without consequences.”

Onjeh reiterated that the benefits of fuel subsidy removal are being sabotaged by lawmakers who were meant to channel the savings into life-transforming projects for their people. “President Tinubu has been sensitive to the plight of Nigerians, but those managing subsidy savings are shortchanging the people,” he added.

He emphasised the need for community-based monitoring committees, use of the Freedom of Information Act, and mass mobilisation through social media. “We should not just tweet about bad roads or lack of water—tag your representative, ask where your ₦1 billion went. Use hashtags like #WhereIsOurBillions to call them out.”

He called on civil society, the media, traditional leaders, and religious institutions to join forces in demanding accountability. “This is not just about politics. It’s about the survival of the Nigerian people. The 2027 elections will be another chance to correct this rot—elect those who will do the job or vote them out.”

Onjeh concluded by asserting that the power to rescue Nigeria lies with the people, not with any one man—President or otherwise. “Let’s stop blaming the centre while our local representatives are busy squandering our future. Accountability begins at home.”