Supplementary budget: What Nigerians are saying about N25.7b earmarked for Tinubu, wife’s yacht, air fleet, luxury vehicles
Reactions have trailed the billions of naira earmarked for a presidential yacht and luxury cars, among others, in the N2.1 trillion supplementary budget submitted by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly.
According to the budget document, N5.09 billion is allocated for the yacht, N2.9 billion for Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for the Presidential Villa, and another N2.9 billion for the replacement of operational vehicles for the presidency.
The yacht is listed under the Nigerian Navy’s proposed capital expenditure of N42.3 billion.
The sum of N1.5 billion was budgeted for vehicles for the Office of the First Lady, an office not recognised by Nigerian constitution.
The government allocated N4 billion for the construction of an office complex in Aso Rock while N2.5 billion will be used for the renovation of the Vice-President’s official residence in Lagos. In all, N28 billion is proposed for the State House.
It plans to spend N12.5 billion on the Presidential Air Fleet.
The presidential fleet includes Boeing Business Jet (Boeing 737-800 or NAF 001), one Gulfstream 550, one Gulfstream V (Gulfstream 500), two Falcons 7X, one Hawker Sidley 4000, two AgustaWestland AW 139 helicopters and two AgustaWestland AW 101 helicopters.
Meanwhile, the Federal government under the capital supplementation for the 2023 supplementary budget proposed the sum of N5.5 billion as an education loan fund to fund the student loan. The total capital supplementation for the 2023 supplementary budget totalled N210.5 billion.
NewsClick Nigeria reports that the President Tinubu-led administration have repeatedly pleaded with Nigerians to be patient with the administration as the prices of most goods and services have surged owing to the removal of petrol subsidy, rising inflation, and the unification of exchange rates. However, Nigerians are baffled that the ruling class seemed to be the only ones excluded from making sacrifices for the nation. Members of the National Assembly also recently spent a whopping N75 billion on Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs).
Nigerians (including President Tinubu’s strong supporters) have however taken to their various social media platforms to express their disappointments in government’s decision to not sacrifice anything from their end. They said this amounts to complete ‘insensitivity’ to the plight of the common man.
See reactions below;
The President should without delay cancel the purchase of that N5Billion Presidential Yacht.The poor can’t be struggling for survival in a canoe while their leader is yachting.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) November 1, 2023
N5billion Presidential Yacht ????
Omo Tinubu come soft pass. ??
And Nigerians are sacrificing and carrying the brunt of it all. ???
Animal farm. 4 legs are better than 2 legs.
— Mo-Mo (@Morris_Monye) November 1, 2023
Imagine telling this man you want to buy presidential yacht for 5bn, your sack letter was ready like since last month bro ? ? ? pic.twitter.com/3OmohrKYPs
— Iruefi XXL (@IruefiNG) November 1, 2023
One of the poorest countries in the world (currently) having a budget for Presidential Yacht? The clouds you see over Nigeria are made from cocaine dust
— Imoh (@imohumoren) November 1, 2023
Borrowing money from World bank and taxing Nigerians to buy N5.095 billion presidential yacht and luxury vehicles for our law makers is bad governance and unacceptable . pic.twitter.com/SUEPvfmfjI
— malcolm omirhobo (@MalcolmInfiniti) November 2, 2023
The @officialABAT dynasty of thieves! They want to buy a “Presidential Yacht” for N5billion for a man who’s never been to a stream before, they want to renovate a Presidential Lodge in Lagos for N4b for a man who just built a mansion in Lagos that stretches from Bourdillon to… pic.twitter.com/W1UtLUM10r
— Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) November 1, 2023
Nigeria has a spending problem, not a revenue problem
2023, Supplementary Budget
Student Loan N5b
Presidential Yacht N5bI am so done…..
We have jokers running the nation
Absolute jokers. pic.twitter.com/kpX5tMj1bv
— Kalu Aja (@FinPlanKaluAja1) November 1, 2023
I am absolutely not in support of the procurement of the presidential yacht. It is quite insensitive to the plight of Nigerians at this moment to even rationalise it. I call on the president, @officialABAT, to once again prove to Nigerians that he listens. Thank you, your…
— SEYILAW (@seyilaw1) November 1, 2023
I don’t understand why you people have issues with a presidential yacht. They even intend to purchase just one when we actually need four in federal fleet – one for pres, vp, sp and speaker each.
— Obi Emeka (@iamobiemeka) November 2, 2023
