Politics

Presidential Race: Osinbajo’s Campaign Trips’ Funding Raises Dust

Published

4 years ago

May 27, 2022

Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo

The funding of the trips of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to states for his presidential campaigns ahead of the primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has continued to attract mixed reactions in the polity.

Osinbajo, one of the 23 aspirants eyeing the ticket of the ruling party has gone to 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to woo delegates and other stakeholders of the APC ahead of the presidential primary slated for May 29 and 30.

Daily Trust had reported how nine serving governors, who are also aspiring for the presidency have spent millions of naira to charter private jets to move around the country.

The vice president, who declared for the presidential race on April 11, has been going about to meet delegates using the 16-seater presidential jet across the country.

The Boeing 727-2N6 with registration no. 5N-FGN aircraft was used to Maiduguri, Borno State on Monday as part of his consultation.

It was not clear from which airport Osinbajo left for Maiduguri, a flight from Abuja to the Borno State capital, which is 710km takes about one hour and 10 minutes on the Boeing Jet used by the vice-president.

The aircraft consumes at least 4,500 litres per hour of flight. As at today, a litre of aviation fuel known as Jet A1, which has been on a steady increase in recent times, presently costs between N550 and N600 depending on the location.

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For instance, at the cost of N600 per litre, it implies that it would be costing the federal government about N2.7m to fuel the aircraft on each one-way trip embarked upon by the president and over N5m for a return trip.

Aides, others get DTA from government coffers

Aside from the use of a presidential jet, it was gathered that the vice president also travelled with a retinue of aides tagged Protocol, Security and Press (PSP).

Daily Trust reports that the vice president by virtue of his office as number two citizen travels with a retinue of aides drawn from different departments including the protocol, security, and media among others who are officially entitled to Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) of about N12,000 per day after each trip.

A source in the presidency told this paper that no fewer than 40 members of the PSP are on the entourage of the vice president.

Asked who pays the aides their Duty Tour Allowance (DTA), the source, who is familiar with the workings of the presidency, said they are being paid from the government coffers.

“You need to understand this, he is not an appointee, he was elected together with the president. He is eligible for all the entitlements of his office as the vice president.

“Who else will pay for their allowance? They are attached to the office of the vice president and as such, they will draw their allowances from the coffers,” he said,” pleading not to be named.

But another source said the allowances of aides on the vice president’s team are not being paid from the government coffers.

“Osinbajo was conscious of the implication of using the government’s fund to finance his campaign trips, hence he has been using donations from his movement and friends to fund his campaigns,” the source said.

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Use of presidential jet paid for in US – Aviation analyst

Aviation analyst, Group Capt. John Ojikutu said Nigerian leaders are thoughtless in the use of public facilities.

He said in the US, any unofficial use of the presidential jet is paid for.

In a chat with our correspondent, he said, “In the US, unofficial use of the presidential jet is paid for; the cost is the fare of a business class for each person on board including the media personnel.

“Trump would rather use his personal aircraft to go to Palm Beach in Miami on holidays when he was president. Unfortunately, our leaders in the administration of our government are reckless in the use of our public facilities including the use of security personnel.”

Our correspondents report that President Muhammadu Buhari also used Presidential Jet during his 2015 re-election campaign.

It’s an act of corruption – Kari

According to an associate Professor of Political Sociology, University of Abuja, Dr Abubakar Umar Kari, the use of state resources by government officials for campaigns was an act of corruption.

“Government officials using state resources for political campaigns were morally reprehensible, legally unjustifiable and logically unacceptable. It is an act of corruption and a clear abuse of office. No impunity is greater.

“In saner climes, it is enough to put the offending officer in trouble – and that’s how it ought to be here.

“It’s regrettable that our moral and political values are so low and so loose that we do not even seem to realise that such a thing is wrong. Beyond being a misnomer, it also confers an unfair advantage on the officer over and above his opponents who are not so opportune.

“It personalises things that are public and makes strictly the property of the state to become or be used as booty by virtue of being in power or in office. But let’s face it: Osinbajo is not alone in this. Everyone from the president to councillor, and even their wives, children and friends, are engaged in it,” he said.

VP hasn’t breached law, conduct raises moral questions – Lawyers

Lawyers have said that Osinbajo’s use of official jets, vehicles and other facilities for his 2023 presidential campaigns has not breached any law, but could pose some moral issues.

Speaking on the matter, Paul Ananaba (SAN) said it is not illegal because even the American president and vice president use their official vehicles while going for campaigns.

“Their securities are not bifurcated because they are now going for campaigns. The Airforce One is what they use. So, those are part of the appurtenances of democracy. So, there is nothing wrong with that,” he said.

However, E.M.D. Umukoro Esq said although there is no law specifically prohibiting a sitting vice president from the use of public resources for campaigns, moral questions are bound to be raised.

He, therefore, called for inclusion into the statutes a law prohibiting the use of government jets, vehicles and others for campaigns.

“Unless there is a law that specifically puts that into contemplation, issues about it cannot be raised. Whether we like it or not, it gives the person an edge. It’s just like the president or governor seeking a second term using state apparatus and machinery.

“People need to raise this and when it is raised, we begin to look at the state and federal level and streamline it. This is why they talk about the power of incumbency,” he said.

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2027: Atiku Vows to Reopen Borders, Develop Southern Ports if Elected

Published

14 hours ago

August 28, 2026

Trends Admin

2027: Atiku Vows to Reopen Borders, Develop Southern Ports if Elected

The ADC presidential candidate says border closures have crippled transborder trade, pushed young Nigerians into bankruptcy, and worsened insecurity.

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has pledged to reopen Nigeria’s land borders and develop port infrastructure in the southern part of the country if elected in the 2027 general election. He made the promise while addressing supporters in a video shared online on Friday by ADC chieftain Dele Momodu.

Atiku argued that the closure of Nigeria’s borders with neighbouring countries, initially implemented in August 2019 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has dealt a devastating blow to transborder trade and contributed to widespread unemployment, particularly among young Nigerians. He noted that several northern states share borders with Cameroon, Chad, Niger Republic, and Benin Republic, making cross-border commerce a vital part of the region’s economic activities. “The Northern states is bordering Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Benin Republic. And you close all those borders. All our young men who are doing trading between these countries, they carry goods across, they do this and that, all what we call transborder trade is a legitimate business,” Atiku said.

He painted a stark picture of the economic consequences, claiming that many young entrepreneurs who had built businesses with capital running into millions of naira, and who employed others, had been forced into bankruptcy following the border restrictions. According to him, this loss of livelihoods has directly contributed to the country’s security challenges. “All the upcoming young men and women who used to have a capital of 10 million, 20 million, and they were employing two, three other people, and then all of them went bankrupt and unemployed. How can there be security?” he asked. He then declared, “So I said I am going to reopen the borders and I will.”

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Beyond reopening land borders, Atiku also outlined plans to improve port facilities in the South and South-East to create a better balance in the handling and transportation of imported goods across the country. He said he had already begun exploring this by engaging shipping and port development companies in Europe during his last campaign. “During the last campaign, I went across to Europe to discuss with shippers and ship development companies how we can together develop South and South-Eastern ports so that there is balance as far as importation of goods and transportation of goods are concerned,” he stated.

The former vice president argued that developing ports in places like Calabar, Uyo, and Port Harcourt would significantly reduce the time and cost of transporting goods to the North-East. He used his own experience as an example, noting that he has a factory in Yola, Adamawa State, and currently faces significant logistical hurdles because his containers must come through Lagos. He illustrated, “So when, if I drop my container in Calabar or in Uyo or in Port Harcourt, it will just take me 24 hours to take the container to Yola. But right now, it takes me not less than two months to take my container from Lagos because you have to cross over from South-West, you go to North-East, and then there is even no road.”

Atiku’s proposal has sparked mixed reactions online, with some Nigerians supporting the plan as a practical economic strategy that could boost trade and create jobs. However, critics have raised concerns about security implications and the potential threat to local investors from increased imports, while others dismissed the promise as familiar campaign rhetoric. The border closure policy, initiated in 2019, was justified by the Federal Government as a measure to curb large-scale smuggling of rice, poultry, petroleum products, and other commodities, as well as the movement of illegal arms and drugs. It was also aimed at encouraging domestic agricultural production. Economists, however, have noted that the policy failed both efficiency tests, enriching a handful of manufacturers while leaving consumers poorer and the wider economy weaker. The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) also attributed renewed inflationary pressure to the border closure, with food inflation hitting record highs during the period.

Although the administration of President Bola Tinubu has partially reopened some strategic corridors, such as the Kamba and Tsamiya border posts linking Kebbi to Benin and Niger Republics in February 2026, several land borders remain restricted or under tight controls. The reopening of the Kamba and Tsamiya routes was described as a stroke of economic diplomacy that restored economic life to border communities, with over 2,000 stranded trucks beginning to move freely. However, concerns remain over smuggling and the sustainability of the policy.

2027: Atiku Vows to Reopen Borders, Develop Southern Ports if Elected

Politics

Fuel Subsidy: Atiku’s Third U-Turn in One Week Exposes Political Posturing, Presidency Says

Published

2 days ago

August 27, 2026

Trends Admin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

Fuel Subsidy: Atiku’s Third U-Turn in One Week Exposes Political Posturing, Presidency Says

The Presidency has again taken a swipe at former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over what it describes as his third policy U-turn on petrol subsidy within one week, accusing him of political posturing and lacking understanding of petroleum economics. In a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency questioned whether Atiku was seriously proposing an economic policy or simply playing politics with the temporary discomfort Nigerians face.

The Presidency detailed what it described as three conflicting positions emerging from the Atiku camp within days. The first position came from Atiku’s spokesperson, Paul Ibe, who stated that the former vice president would restore petrol subsidy if elected and later phase it out, describing it as a temporary intervention to give Nigerians and businesses room to recover. The second position emerged when another senior aide, Phrank Shaibu, dismissed Ibe’s statement as an “unauthorised and misleading characterisation” of Atiku’s position. According to Shaibu, Atiku would not set a predetermined date for ending the subsidy, which would remain until domestic refining expanded, supply stabilised, competition deepened, and the market could deliver affordable prices without government support. The third position came when Atiku himself intervened hours later, insisting his position “has not changed” and that he would restore what he called a “targeted subsidy” if elected. He stated, “I will restore targeted subsidy and put purchasing power back in the hands of Nigerians.”

The Presidency argued the differing explanations amounted to more than semantics, describing it as “a serious policy contradiction.” Onanuga asked that if Atiku’s position has not changed, why did one of his principal aides say the subsidy would be temporary and phased out, why did another senior aide have to publicly disown that explanation and introduce a completely different framework based on market conditions, and why did Atiku then step in to reaffirm the original position? He added that Nigerians deserve clarity, not policy by trial and error.

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The Presidency challenged Atiku to explain precisely what he means by “targeted subsidy,” including how much it will cost, who will benefit, how beneficiaries will be identified, how it will be funded, and what objective economic conditions will determine its eventual termination. The statement said that Nigerians cannot afford another opaque and potentially costly subsidy regime dressed up in new language.

Atiku has sought to draw a distinction between his proposal and the previous import-subsidy regime. According to his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president is proposing “a targeted, capped, transparently budgeted and independently audited intervention” to support domestic refining and production, with measurable performance-based exit conditions. Shaibu explained that you do not remove scaffolding because the calendar says so; you remove it when the building can stand securely on its own. Atiku himself stated on his X platform that he would not restore the import racket but would restore relief.

The Presidency also faulted Atiku’s argument that competition and subsidy would automatically reduce petrol prices, noting that several factors influence pump prices, including international crude oil prices, exchange rates, refining costs, transportation, and distribution. The statement said that competition can improve efficiency and margins, but it cannot magically insulate Nigeria from global crude oil prices or other input costs.

The Presidency also rejected what it described as an oversimplification of the relationship between petrol prices and food inflation. While acknowledging that energy and transportation costs affect food prices, it argued that petrol prices alone have never caused food inflation. Onanuga said that agricultural productivity, insecurity, exchange rates, logistics, storage, flooding, input costs, money supply and supply constraints also matter. He added that a serious economic programme must address these factors, as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been doing for the past three years, rather than reduce the entire cost-of-living crisis to petrol prices.

The Presidency further questioned Atiku’s suggestion that subsidy would “follow the barrel of crude,” pointing out that petrol accounts for only about 45 per cent of products from a refined barrel. According to the statement, diesel, which was deregulated in 2004 under the Obasanjo-Atiku administration, accounts for roughly 25 per cent of a barrel, while aviation fuel and kerosene make up about nine per cent. Onanuga asked whether Atiku would also subsidise these other products, since kerosene is used by the underprivileged to cook, and many homes and factories use diesel to power generators.

The subsidy debate has returned to the centre of the 2027 presidential contest, with Atiku seeking to position himself as the candidate who will make life more affordable for Nigerians. According to Shaibu, the choice is not removal of subsidy versus restoration of subsidy; it is Expensive Nigeria versus Affordable Nigeria. The Presidency, however, warned against what it called “policy somersaults, incoherence, destructive populism and election gimmicks,” saying the economy is too serious for such approaches.

Fuel Subsidy: Atiku’s Third U-Turn in One Week Exposes Political Posturing, Presidency Says

metro

Probe Me Over $16bn Power Spending If You Have Evidence – Atiku Dares FG

Published

2 days ago

August 26, 2026

Trends Admin

Probe Me Over $16bn Power Spending If You Have Evidence – Atiku Dares FG

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has thrown down the gauntlet to President Bola Tinubu’s administration, demanding that it substantiate allegations linking him to alleged wrongdoing in the controversial $16 billion power sector expenditure or cease what he describes as a campaign of political distraction. In a statement released on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku insisted that he should be investigated and prosecuted if the government possesses credible evidence against him, stressing that political accusations cannot replace proof. The former Vice President accused the Tinubu administration and its supporters of reviving decades-old allegations to divert public attention from pressing questions surrounding the management of government revenues following the removal of petrol subsidy.

Atiku noted that the National Assembly had previously investigated the power projects, but he was never invited to respond to any allegations of misconduct. “The National Assembly investigated the power projects. I was never invited to answer any allegation of wrongdoing,” he stated. He acknowledged that he chaired the National Council on Privatisation while serving as Vice President but clarified that he did not oversee the implementation of the power project. “Yes, I chaired the National Council on Privatisation as Vice President. But on the power project, I disagreed with its concept and did not preside over its implementation. The responsible minister did. The same applies to the Aluminium Smelter matter,” Atiku explained.

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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election declared that he had repeatedly made himself available for investigation since leaving office in 2007. “I have repeatedly asked to be investigated. I left office in 2007 and have spent much of the period since then opposing governments in power. If there is evidence that I stole public money, why has no government produced it before a court?” he queried. Atiku challenged the authorities to reopen the matter if they believed there was a genuine case against him. “It is still not too late. Investigate me. Invite me. Produce the evidence. Prosecute me if you have a case. But propaganda cannot substitute for evidence,” he said.

The former Vice President linked the renewed allegations to his persistent criticism of the Federal Government’s handling of the economic consequences of petrol subsidy removal. He argued that Nigerians had been promised that eliminating the subsidy would free funds for development, but citizens had instead faced higher costs of transportation, food, and other essentials. “Today, petrol is more expensive, transportation is more expensive, food is more expensive and the purchasing power of the Nigerian worker has been devastated,” he said. Atiku further questioned how additional government revenues were being deployed, alleging that tax incentives, waivers, credits, and concessions continued to benefit powerful economic interests. “So our question remains brutally simple: where is the people’s money?” he asked. He accused the government of hypocrisy for withdrawing economic relief from ordinary Nigerians while maintaining interventions that benefited major corporate interests. “You cannot take relief away from the poor, celebrate the resulting revenue and then tell the same impoverished citizens that government intervention on their behalf is economically irresponsible while interventions benefiting powerful interests are called incentives. That hypocrisy is precisely what we are challenging,” Atiku stated.

Atiku dismissed what he described as sponsored social media attacks, insisting they would not prevent him from demanding transparency over public finances. “The people who removed subsidy from the poor cannot frighten us into silence by resurrecting allegations that governments with all the investigative machinery of the Nigerian state have had nearly two decades to establish,” he declared. He challenged the government to either substantiate the allegations or address questions over the use of funds generated after subsidy removal. “If you have evidence against Atiku, bring it. If you have a case, prosecute it. But if you have neither, stop manufacturing distractions and answer Nigerians: You removed the subsidy. You collected the savings. Where is the money?” he demanded.