2024 Budget : Peter Obi Faults N15bn FCT Allocation For VP’s Residence

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the February 2023 election, Peter Obi, has faulted the N15 billion allocation for the Vice-President’s residence.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nysom Wike, had disclosed that the FCT intends to spend the amount on a ‘befitting residence’ for the Vice-President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima.

Obi, in a series of tweets on his X handle, on Monday, berated the plan as “shocking and disheartening”, considering the many important challenges facing our nation.

“Just recently in the Supplementary Budget, the sum of N2.5 billion was included for the renovation of the Vice President’s residence in Abuja, which means that he already has a residence.

“Again, during the budget presentation, I heard the sum of N3 billion was allocated for the renovation of the Vice President’s residence in Lagos.”

The former Anambra Governor further decried the poverty rate, collapsed health facilities and skyrocketed unemployment rate in the country.

“If we total all these sums, we would have budgeted the sum of N20.5 billion for the housing of the Vice President at this critical time when we are not just the world’s poverty capital, but more people are falling into poverty, with so many Nigerians not knowing where their next meal will come from. Our health facilities have collapsed, and unemployment is skyrocketing.”

The Punch report that the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project urged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to use his leadership position “to promptly reject the plan by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to spend N15 billion for the construction of a ‘befitting residence’ for the Vice President, Mr Kashim Shettima.”

SERAP on Sunday urged Akpabio to “assert Senate’s authority and constitutional oversight roles to reject the N2.8 billion on publicity for the FCTA and other proposed wasteful and unnecessary spending that may be contained in the 2023 supplementary budget and the 2024 budget proposed by President Bola Tinubu.”