Bola Tinubu, whose administration spent nearly $100 million on an aircraft just two months ago, has warned that Nigeria is on the brink of bankruptcy, urging newly appointed ministers to dedicate themselves fully to saving the country.
“We’re faced with a nation that is on edge of bankruptcy, and that’s the truth and you are called upon to join the team to rescue this country,” Mr Tinubu said in Abuja on Monday at the swearing-in ceremony for his new appointees.
“The moment is challenging; the present situation calls for a very serious commitment. Yours is a duty to serve and that is what you have come to do.”
However, his remarks sparked public outrage, as citizens criticised the president for not setting an example due to his lavish lifestyle and recent purchase of an A330 Brabus in August, even as the country faced its worst cost-of-living crisis.
Though one of Mr Tinubu’s aides downplayed the purchase, claiming the aircraft was refurbished and not brand new, Bloomberg reported its cost at nearly $100 million—a spending choice Nigerians viewed as misplaced, given the soaring food prices, energy shortages, and growing insecurity.
The timing of the aircraft purchase—when the government was still negotiating the minimum wage and hadn’t implemented the proposed ₦70,000 minimum wage—added to speculations that Mr. Tinubu’s administration prioritized luxury expenses for top officials over improving citizens’ quality of life.
Online critics condemned the president, accusing him of lacking empathy for the same citizens who voted him into office.
Accusations of a lack of empathy first emerged in August 2023 when Mr. Tinubu traveled to Dubai for the #COP28 Climate Summit with a delegation of over 1,400 people—a large entourage that frustrated citizens, who questioned the need for such a sizeable group.
Many argued that the president should be reducing government expenses, not spending taxpayer money to fly hundreds across the world. Although aides claimed that most delegates funded their own trips, Premium Times reported that around 600 were government-sponsored. The costs for round trips, accommodations, and other expenses likely burdened the nation with a heavy, unnecessary expense.
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