N1.5bn vehicles not for First Lady’s personal use -Ndume

The Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, on Friday, rose in defence of the First Lady, Remi Tinubu, over the N1.5bn budgeted for vehicles for her office in the 2023 supplementary budget.

Ndume said the First Lady did not request personally for the vehicles.

He said this while speaking on the review of the budgetary allocated for the vehicles for the Presidency on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Friday.

The senator said, “I don’t think that the First Lady personally requested for N1.5 billion luxurious vehicle because I know her personally. We have been in the Senate for 12 years, I don’t think that the first lady requested personally for luxurious vehicles.”

Speaking on whether the purchase of the vehicle for the First Lady was constitutional, the Chief Whip said he could not tell but added that the budget was for the Presidency and the First Lady is part of the Presidency.

He said, “The budget is for the Presidency and it includes the vehicles that the First Lady uses and others. I’m not in the position to defend that or argue on it. but I’m just saying that I know what the First Lady likes for either items or others.”

Recall that the Federal Government allocated N1.5 billion for the procurement of vehicles for the Office of the First Lady.

This budgetary allocation was outlined in the ₦2.1 trillion supplementary budget for 2023 that has been approved by the National Assembly.

A breakdown of the budget shows the government plans to spend N2.9 billion on Sport Utility Vehicles for the Presidential Villa, and another N2.9 billion to replace operational vehicles for the Presidency.