Senate Minority Whip, Senator Tony Nwoye
Bloggers and Vloggers, Content Creators Association in Nigeria (BAVCCA) has dismissed allegations that Senator Tony Okechukwu Nwoye diverted or withheld N50 million budgeted for the distribution of sewing machines to women in the Omambala area of Anambra North Senatorial District, describing the claim as false, politically motivated and lacking any factual basis.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, the association, which said it represents over 5,000 professional digital content creators nationwide, accused the promoters of the allegation of deliberately misleading the public on how Nigeria’s budget implementation process works.
BAVCCA said the campaign against the senator amounted to a calculated attempt to tarnish his reputation through misinformation and character assassination.
The association stated: “We have observed with great concern a series of publications alleging that Senator Tony Nwoye diverted or withheld Fifty Million Naira appropriated in the Federal Budget for the provision of sewing machines to women in the Omambala Region of Anambra North. Ordinarily, we would have ignored such baseless publications. However, as responsible stakeholders in the digital media ecosystem, we believe that falsehood should never be allowed to compete with truth.”
It added: “We therefore state, without fear of contradiction, that the allegation is not only frivolous and mischievous but also exposes the ignorance of its promoters regarding Nigeria’s constitutional framework and the mechanics of federal budget implementation.”
According to the group, under Sections 80 and 81 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), lawmakers are only empowered to approve government expenditure through appropriation, while the Executive is solely responsible for implementing approved budgets.
The association argued that legislators neither receive funds for constituency projects nor serve as accounting officers for such interventions.
It said: “At no point does a Senator receive budgeted funds into a personal account or become the accounting officer for a federal project.”
BAVCCA maintained that anyone accusing Senator Nwoye of withholding public funds must provide documentary proof that the money was released, identify the implementing agency and establish that the senator had control over the funds.
The group stressed: “A budget line is not evidence of fund release. Fund release is not evidence of project execution. Project execution is not evidence that a legislator controlled public funds. These are elementary facts of public finance.”
It further noted that many projects captured in annual federal budgets are either partially funded or delayed because implementation depends on revenue availability, cash backing and approvals by the Executive.
Rather than scrutinise the relevant government agency responsible for executing the project, the association alleged that political opponents had chosen to target the senator with unfounded accusations.
BAVCCA also defended Nwoye’s record in public service, describing him as a philanthropist whose contributions to education, healthcare, youth empowerment and community development across Anambra North predated his political career.
According to the association, the senator has facilitated numerous constituency interventions, including school projects, scholarships, health programmes, rural infrastructure, solar-powered streetlights, water schemes, agricultural support and skills acquisition initiatives, all of which are visible in communities across the district.
The group argued that it was unreasonable to suggest that a public official with such a record would risk his reputation over a N50 million project.
It challenged those behind the allegation to produce verifiable evidence and answer critical questions surrounding the project.
BAVCCA asked: “Was the project cash backed? Was the allocation released by the Federal Government? Which Ministry, Department, or Agency was assigned responsibility for implementation? Was any procurement process initiated? What do the official implementation records of the Budget Office show regarding the project?”
It maintained that without answers to those questions, the allegations remained “mere political propaganda.”
The association also urged Nigerians, particularly residents of Anambra North Senatorial District, to be wary of unverified claims circulated on social media, warning that digital platforms should not become tools for destroying reputations through misinformation.
While reaffirming support for constructive criticism and accountability in governance, BAVCCA insisted that allegations of corruption should be reported to the appropriate investigative agencies rather than prosecuted through media campaigns.
The association reaffirmed its confidence in Senator Nwoye, urging him to remain committed to what it described as quality representation and the continued development of Anambra North.
It concluded: “The Bloggers and Vloggers, Content Creators Association in Nigeria stands firmly with truth, justice, responsible journalism, and evidence based public discourse. We reaffirm our confidence in Senator Dr. Tony Okechukwu Nwoye and encourage him to remain steadfast in his commitment to quality representation and the development of Anambra North. No amount of propaganda can erase years of selfless service. No amount of political blackmail can diminish a legacy built on compassion, integrity, and visible development. Truth will always prevail over falsehood.”
