…As Group Cites Aso Rock’s Lavish Expenditures
By Ikenwa Charity
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has strongly criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent comments, in which he urged Nigerians to be patient with the country’s current economic challenges, stating that there is “no free beer parlour” anymore.
The President reportedly made this statement during a visit by former Nigerian lawmakers to the State House, Abuja, where he underscored the need for hard work and resilience in overcoming the nation’s economic woes.
In a press statement by Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, its National Coordinator, HURIWA debunked the President’s remarks as hypocritical, pointing out that the same government that preaches sacrifice and austerity continues to spend billions on feeding and entertaining the families of the President and Vice President in Aso Rock, while also enabling unconstitutional expenditures for the First Lady’s extravagant foreign trips.
The association noted that such dichotomy between words and actions exemplifies the disconnect between the leadership and the everyday struggles of millions of Nigerians grappling with inflation and economic hardship.
It stated that, “While President Tinubu emphasized the importance of working hard and being patient to rebuild the nation, the federal budget allocates billions of naira annually to feed and maintain the President and Vice President’s families at taxpayers’ expense.”
The rights group also went on to frown what it described as “free provision of meals, housing, and entertainment for the elites, saying, it contradicts the president’s assertion that there is no “free beer parlour, this indicates that the leaders themselves benefit from a system that provides for their needs without personal financial contribution.
The group further mentioned that research has revealed that in the 2023 budget, significant sums were allocated for feeding in the Presidential Villa.
“The Presidency’s budget for foodstuffs, catering materials, and refreshments ran into billions, alongside substantial allocations for vehicles and other expenditures for the personal comfort of the President’s family.” HURIWA argued that if the government is truly serious about austerity, these funds should be cut, and the President and Vice President’s families should pay for their own meals and other personal expenses, just as most Nigerian workers do.
“The 2024 budget allocated a whopping N15.961 billion for President Tinubu, Vice President Shettima, and their aides’ international and local travels. President Tinubu is set to spend N7.630 billion on travels, of which N6.992 billion will be for foreign trips.
Vice President Shettima will spend N1.847 billion, with N1.229 billion designated for foreign travels. Additionally, N6.484 billion was earmarked for Villa Headquarters’ international and local travel expenses.
Despite calls for austerity, these travel expenses significantly drain the nation’s coffers, showcasing the luxury afforded to the leadership while ordinary Nigerians are asked to tighten their belts.
“In addition to the lavish travel budget, the 2024 budget also outlined extravagant spending on meals and entertainment. President Tinubu will spend N254 million on foodstuff, while Vice President Shettima will spend N348 million on the same. Furthermore, the State House Headquarters will allocate N430 million for food and catering supplies.
Miscellaneous spending, including honorariums and refreshments, will also cost the nation, with the President earmarking N219 million and the Vice President N187 million, while the Villa Headquarters is set to spend N2.54 billion on similar items,” it mentioned.
HURIWA, criticised the National Assembly for its complacency in approving these budgets year after year, despite the constitutional irregularities of certain expenditures, particularly those it related to the of office of the First Lady.
It then condemned the unconstitutional nature of the expenditures associated with the Office of the First Lady, which is not recognized by the Nigerian constitution.
“According to reports, over N700 million has been spent on First Lady Remi Tinubu’s foreign trips in the past three months alone. The civic tech platform, GovSpend, revealed that the government paid N701 million for the First Lady’s trips to the United States, France, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and the United Kingdom between November 2023 and March 2024.” These trips, according to HURIWA, have no bearing on national interest and serve only to drain public funds for personal luxury.
“The office of the First Lady is not a constitutionally recognized office, and therefore, spending public funds on her foreign travels is illegal,” HURIWA stated. “This administration cannot call for sacrifices from Nigerians while indulging in unconstitutional, lavish spending on foreign trips and personal luxuries. Such actions only deepen the crisis of trust between the government and the citizens,” it stressed.
HURIWA urged the government to begin cost-cutting measures from the top, starting with the cessation of free meals, housing, and entertainment for the President, Vice President, and their families, as they called on the National Assembly to expunge these provisions from future budgets, insisting that Presidents and Vice Presidents should use their salaries and personal incomes to cover their household expenses.
“Real economic reforms must begin with leadership setting an example. The President cannot live in a free house, eat free food, and tell Nigerians that there is no free beer parlour,” the group argued.
“This double standard must end. If the government is serious about cutting costs and addressing the economic crisis, it must start by slashing the extravagant budgets for the President’s household and unnecessary foreign trips,” HURIWA projected.
The group in addition, called for an end to the what it termed, “meaningless and aimless” foreign travels by both the President and the First Lady, which, it claims as wasteful and bear no significant benefit to the Nigerian populace, pointing out that the funds spent on these trips could be better used to address urgent national issues such as Education, Healthcare, and Food Security.
HURIWA again, questioned the government’s priorities, citing the continuous rise in food prices and inflation.
“Despite President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency on food security, the prices of basic food items remain on an upward trajectory, with food inflation standing at 37.52%, according to the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) also projected that around 26.5 million Nigerians would be at risk of hunger in 2024.
“It is ironic that while millions of Nigerians are at risk of hunger, the government continues to lavish public funds on feeding and entertaining those in power,” HURIWA said. “This shows a clear lack of empathy and understanding of the reality on the ground. The leadership must reassess its priorities and demonstrate that it is truly committed to alleviating the hardship faced by the masses.”
It concluded by urging Nigerians to hold their leaders accountable and continue to demand better governance.
End.
