President Bola Tinubu has submitted a Supplementary Budget to the National Assembly, requesting a substantial allocation of more than N6.9 billion for the acquisition of vehicles intended for use at the State House. Notably, the Office of the First Lady is earmarked to receive N1.5 billion to procure new cars within this proposal. This financial request is part of the larger N2.17 trillion Supplementary Budget sent by the President to the National Assembly for their approval.
Within this budget, there is a noteworthy allocation of N2.9 billion dedicated to the acquisition of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for the Presidential Villa. Additionally, another N2.9 billion is set aside to replace existing vehicles within the government’s fleet. These expenditures are being put forward at a time when some segments of the Nigerian population have been expressing dissatisfaction with the National Assembly’s decision to allocate N75 billion for vehicle procurement.
It’s important to highlight that this call for significant spending on vehicles by the government has sparked protests among young Nigerians, who have taken to the streets in Lagos and Abuja to voice their concerns. Their objections revolve around the timing of these expenditures, given the ongoing challenges in the country’s economy and the difficult financial circumstances faced by many Nigerians.
In the proposed supplementary budget, the government is planning to spend N28 billion on the State House. In addition, the government is planning to spend N12.5 billion on the Presidential air Fleet.