Profligate Tinubu budgets N7.63b for foreign travels, N5.1b for food, honorarium, computers, et cetera
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Bola Tinubu has ring-fenced N7.63 billion for his foreign junkets in the 2024 budget that will follow his gallivanting to Dubai for COP28 with a large entourage which included Seyi his son.
Seyi, a spoilt brat, earlier this year rode the presidential jet to a polo match in Kano – to the outrage of Nigerians – and used to sneak into Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings until his father scolded and stopped him on television.
Tinubu in the 2023 Supplementary Budget allocated N1.5 billion to his wife Remi in the Office of the First Lady which is not recognised by the Constitution. Part of the money is meant to acquire Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs).
The President returned to Abuja on December 5 after the uproar over his wasteful spending of borrowed funds with which Aso Rock ferried more than 400 members of the government delegation to the Climate Summit.
Their flight tickets alone reportedly cost the treasury more than N800 million – not counting estacode allowance and hotel bills for each person, presumably including Seyi who is not a government official.
Strangely, the delegation also includes Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun who junketed all the way to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to deliver a speech on the quest of the police under his command for green energy solutions in Nigeria, as shown on Arise News on Wednesday morning.
The 2024 Appropriation Bill is now awaiting passage in the National Assembly (NASS).
It contains a total N15.961 billion for international and local travels by Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and their aides in the Villa.
Travel budget for Tinubu
- Total budget – N7. 630 billion
- Foreign travel – N6.992 billion
- Local travel – N638.535 million
Travel budget for Shettima
- Total budget – N1.847 billion
- Foreign travel – 1.229 billion
- Local travel – N618. 399 million
Travel budget for Villa Headquarters
- Total budget – N6.484 billion
- Foreign travel – N6.282 billion
- Foreign travel for training – N60.981 million
- Local travel – N140.640 million
Overall budget allocation for Villa Headquarters
- Total allocation – N40.616 billion
- Capital vote N12.497 billion
- Overheads – N10.334 billion
- Personnel – N163 billion
- Maintenance (mechanical, electrical) – N9 billion
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N4.5b for routine maintenance
“Another N4.5 billion is set aside for Juliuus Berger liabilities on routine maintenance for 2022/2023 and work as directed 2022-2023 inclusive of Kaduna work,” the document said, per Vanguard.
Construction of offices for Special Advisers and Senior Special Advisers takes N3 billion, and acquisition, renovation, rehabilitation and furnishing of State House Annex will cost N3 billion.
N6b for SUVs, other vehicles
Despite the recent provision for operational vehicles in the 2023 Supplementary Budget, a new N4 billion is allocated for Operational Vehicles and N2 billion specifically for SUVs.
Rehabilitation of Animal Enclosure in the Villa gets N45.259 million and Villa Ranch and construction of wild life conservation N130.076 million.
N5.1b for food, honorarium, computers, others
A United States President pays for food for himself and members of his family in the White House.
In Nigeria, however, the President and his family are fed from the treasury and federal lawmakers collect wardrobe allowance every year.
The 2024 budget allocates N5.128 billion the public purse for Tinubu and Shettima to spend N5.128 billion on foodstuff, miscellaneous, honorarium, refreshments, repair of fixed assets, and computer software.
Tinubu will spend N254 million on the items and Shettima N348 million.
State House Headquarters has N430 million for the same purpose.
Tinubu will get N219 million for Miscellaneous Expenditure, Shettima N187 million, and State House Headquarters N2.54 billion.
Honorarium and sitting allowance
- Tinubu – N152.4 million
- Shettima – N67 million
- State House Headquarters – N365.8 million
Repairs, rehabilitation of fixed assets
- Tinubu – N650 million
Computer software
- Shettima – N103 million
Computers, repairs of assets
- Villa Headquarters – N980 million
