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How Tinubu doled out N123billion for COVID-19 in 2023 – Falana
Femi Falana, foremost social critic and human rights crusader, has urged Nigerians to rise against the current profligacy going on in governments at the national and state governments, by holding officials accountable, to stop them from frittering away the resources of the country while citizens continue to suffer untold hardship.
To underscore how bad the situation has become, Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) informed of how President Bola Tinubu allegedly doled out a whopping N123billion in December last year, for the fight against COVID-19, more than one year after the global affliction, declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO), on March 11, 2020, but was declared over by the same world body in May 2023.
But the outspoken lawyer, told an audience at the 2024 edition of the yearly memorial gathering for Beko Ransome-Kuti, the late fearless activist and Falana’s colleague in the civil society advocacy, as captured in a video that has now gone viral on social media that Tinubu shared the whopping amount to the 36 state governors in December outside the statutory Federal Allocation Committee (FAC) revenues that amounted to another N1.7trillion.
Hear him: “In December, this regime of Tinubu, gave our N123billion to governors to fight 2023 to fight COVID-19. Do you know what I’m talking about? Last December, they gave out N123billion to fight COVID-19. Furthermore, and this must be our demand from here – this regime, must – even if we have to go to the streets on this because it is so fundamental – must warehouse the gains of subsidy removal and channel it towards alleviating the poverty of our people.
“In April last year, what the three tiers of government – Federal Government, state government and the local governments shared was N655billion. When subsidy was removed, since June, according to the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, there’s no month that less than N1trillion was shared. You can quote me on this, in June last year, what they shared was N1.9trillion. People were embarrassed! Where is this money coming from, where did you see this money? They had to save N900billion.
In December last year, you know the governors came to Lagos to celebrate Christmas with Tinubu. That month, what was shared was N1.7trillion. That is apart from the N123billion I just told you. So, if anybody is telling you that Nigerians must sacrifice because there is no money, you know what they telling you is bunkum, bullshit!
“What they should be reminded, is where are the gains of subsidy removal? When we had a situation like this under (Sani) Abacha, as bad as Abacha was, he set up what was known as PTF. The gains of fuel increase then was kept and used to address infrastructural crises in the country. So, this time around, we’re demanding for our rights. Because what they told us is “subsidy is gone!” The gains will be used to address problems of unemployment, of security, of food crisis. But today, the people have been forgotten.”
Hours after Mohammed Hayatu-Deen did, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday, also flatly rejected the outcome of the presidential primaries, of the African Democratic Congress, alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement and electoral malpractice.
Amaechi former Minister of Transportation and former Governor of Rivers State, described the announced results as “concocted,” insisting that the process failed to meet the standards of transparency and fairness earlier promised by the party.
He said in a statement: “I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” Amaechi stated.
He said he had previously maintained that he would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair and transparent, stressing that the exercise did not reflect the democratic values the ADC claimed to represent.
“I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold, to rescue Nigerians from the impunity and gross mismanagement that our country is currently facing in the hands of the ruling party,” he said.
Amaechi alleged that a significant number of party members were denied the opportunity to vote during the exercise.
“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results,” he stated.
The former Rivers State governor questioned the moral basis of the ADC criticising the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged electoral malpractice while allegedly engaging in similar conduct internally.
“A party that criticizes the ruling APC and INEC for vote buying, rigging and writing of results, cannot be engaged in vote buying, writing of results, and other electoral malpractices that leads to the disenfranchisement of voters who are party members. This is not acceptable!” he declared.
Amaechi said the ADC was envisioned as a platform to amplify the voices of ordinary Nigerians and provide credible political alternatives irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social background.
His rejection of the outcome is expected to deepen tensions within the opposition party following the conclusion of its presidential primary election.
“These timeless virtues of devotion, selflessness, and submission to divine will are values our nation desperately needs today,” were the exact words with which Godswill Akpabio, attempted to rouse Nigerians to the ethos of unquestionable faith and service to the country.
Akpabio, Chairman of the National Assembly, who drew example from Prophet Ibrahim, admonished Nigerians to emulate his unwavering faith, obedience, and willingness to sacrifice for the sake of Almighty Allah.
The Senate President, who conveyed his sentiments via a statement by Eseme Eyiboh, also used the specifically hail President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his vice, Kashim Shettima and Muslim faithful in Nigeria and around the world as they celebrate Eid El Kabir.
Stressing that the occasion called for prayer and sober reflection on the theme of sacrifice, he added: “This sacred occasion reminds us of Prophet Ibrahim’s unwavering faith, obedience, and willingness to sacrifice for the sake of Almighty Allah.
“To our dear President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his vice, Senator Kashim Shettima and Muslim brothers and sisters, I felicitate with them on behalf of my family, constituents and the Senate on this blessed Eid. May the lessons of sacrifice, compassion, and generosity that define this season strengthen your faith and bring peace to your homes.
“As you share with the less privileged and extend love to neighbours of all faiths, you embody the true spirit of Nigeria. To all Nigerians, I urge us to use this solemn period to pray fervently for peace, security, and prosperity in our land. Let us pray for our troops in the frontlines, for farmers to return safely to their fields, and for unity to prevail over division in our Nation.
“Eid El Kabir also calls us to deep reflection on the future of our country. Just as Prophet Ibrahim was tested, Nigeria is in a season of testing. The sacrifices we make today in patience, in tolerance and in choosing hope over despair will determine the Nigeria our children inherit.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration, supported by the National Assembly, is anchored on that same principle: that meaningful progress often requires collective sacrifice.
“May Almighty Allah accept your prayers and sacrifices. May He heal our land, guide our leaders, and bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Barka da Sallah. Eid Mubarak.”
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps.”
These were the exact words of Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, one of the presidential aspirants of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with which he cast a slur on the ongoing presidential primaries of the party, hinging his position on reports of fraud trailing the exercise.
Hayatu-Deen, a second timer in the search for the nation’s number one job, ran against Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s former Vice President and Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation.
In a statement on his assessment of the exercise which began on Monday, the renowned economist Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), used his X platform to convey his dissatisfaction with the process.
The ADC which said the collation for the exercise would take place in Abuja had urged aspirants, party leaders, delegates, and members to conduct themselves peacefully and uphold party unity.
Bolaji Abdullahi, its spokesman, who described the exercise as a defining moment for both the ADC and Nigerians seeking a credible political alternative, maintained that it remained committed to internal democracy and a transparent leadership selection process.
“The ADC remains proud to stand today as the only truly democratic party in Nigeria because it is the only political party whose choice of presidential candidate is determined through open primaries,” he said adding that the conduct of aspirants and party members during the exercise would reflect the leadership culture the ADC seeks to promote.
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