The Igbo Community Association, ICA, FCT, representing the entire Igbo population residing within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has urgd the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to beam searchlight on the controversies surrouding the N780 million budgeted for church musical instruments in Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State.
This is also as it condmened the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who is at the centre of the controversy.
ICA, spoke through Engr Ikenna Ellis-Ezenekwe, its President General, and Mazi Chinwoke Emmanuel Onah, the Secretary General, condeming what it called “the insertion of N780 million into the national budget for the maintenance and refurbishing of unnamed churches within Kalu’s constituency”.
In the jointly signed statement, the Igbo community said the found the development “deeply shameful and confusing.”
“At a time when the South-East region, particularly Hon. Kalu’s home state of Abia, is grappling with severe economic hardship, insecurity, and decaying public infrastructure, prioritizing nearly one billion Naira for repainting churches is a profound misplacement of public trust.
“Schools across Abia State remain in dire infrastructural conditions, with underpaid teachers struggling to survive. Furthermore, basic healthcare delivery and elderly care in the state urgently require immediate funding and intervention.
“Nigeria is a secular nation, and the pressing needs of the South-East electorate far outweigh the cosmetic renovation of unnamed religious institutions,” it stated.
The ICA raised strong suspicion regarding whether the budget insertions represented disguised channels for political funding or campaign reserves ahead of future elections.
They, therefore, called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and other relevant federal anti-graft agencies to launch a thorough investigation into this budget insertion and the allocation of these funds.
“The association calls on Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu to reconnect with his constituency, understand the daily struggles of his people, and realign his legislative focus toward genuine development.
“South-East geopolitical zone can no longer afford or accept this type of disconnect and poor representation from its highest-ranking political officers,” the statement concluded.
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