The figures show very huge differentials between the spend proposed for the North and that for the South. Specifically, the South East and South-South outlays have been isolated for special reasoning.
The social media conclusion, especially by people from the affected regions, is that they have (once again) been handed a raw deal.
To be sure, agitators for a sovereign state of Biafra have loaded their canons with this new ammo and its now noon, boom and more booms all over.
That's all fine.
I have no issues with all that.
I only have issues with the Honorable Members of the House of Representatives and the Distinguished Senators from the South East and South-South.
That budget spent several months in their chambers. Apparently, as it now transpires, they did not look at it. If they did, they were satisfied with the various provisions, including the capital expenditure provisions for the respective regions, theirs inclusive.
If they were not satisfied, there is no apparent indication that they fought it off or that they took steps to balance things out.
In my view, they did not look at the regional outlays. They were not aware of the lopsidedness and did not, therefore, do anything about it.
This is why I can not and will not blame Buhari or the APC administration.
The Executive does not appropriate funds. They only propose. It is the National Assembly that appropriates. So, if we feel hard done by, we should hold our national legislators to account.
There is no need for unnecessary sanctimony on this issue. We have ourselves to blame for the quality of individuals we put there. Men and women of fine linen and starch but of very little grey matter and even the little they have is used in pursuit of matters peculiar and particularistic.
In my state, as I feel sure it obtains elsewhere, we promote and adulate the individual politician, with scant regard for his institutional value.
When he eats, we clap and when he defecates, we salute his ability to effortlessly, noiselessly and odourlessly discharge himself of that physiological burden.
In doing so, we alter our perspective of his institutional relevance and distort the reality of our legitimate expectations. When he comes home, we are keener to hear of the intrigues and shenanigans and ask nothing of or about the real issues.
Our approach to him is: "your boys dey here o".
With this distorted reality and this grovelling and mendicant approach to the politician-legislator, it is no surprise that the jolly fellow will be more concerned with his or her personal aggrandisement and how to retain himself in the splendid comforts of Abuja.
Certainly not on how the capital expenditure allocations are spread.
That said, this is Nigeria. With the 97/5 principle (itself a curious arithmetic), I would not expect Buhari to spend N270 billion in the South-South and South East while his North Central region receives N28 billion.
If you expected him to do so, I wish you all the best
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