By Gideon Njoku
Nigeria’s Finance and Budget Minister, Zainab Ahmed, was helpless over the approval of a whopping N1.15b by President Muhammadu Buhari to purchase vehicles for Nigeria’s neighbouring country, Niger Republic.
The Minister expressed her helpless situation when he briefed State House Correspondents on Wednesday, after the Federal Executive Council meeting.
The news of the approval by Buhari, especially, when University students have been on a forced holiday for five months and counting over FGs inability to pay their Lecturers, was greeted with outrage.
But defending the approval, Ahmed said it is the President’s prerogative to assess the situation in Nigeria’s neighbouring countries, especially, as it could affect Nigeria’s security and help such countries out for the good of Nigeria.
On her role, she said she was not in a position to question the President. “I cannot question the President”, she said.
The Minister, also, revealed that this was not the first time Nigeria was helping its neighbours- Cameroon, Chad, etc. She explained that it is President Buhari’s responsibility to make such decisions in the best interests of the country.
“Let me just say that, over time, Nigeria has had to support its neighbours, especially, immediate neighbours, to enhance their capacity to secure their countries as it relates to us.
“This is not the first time that Nigeria has supported Niger, Cameroon or Chad, and the President makes an assessment as to what is required, based on the request of their president and such requests are approved and the interventions provided is to enhance their capacity to protect their own territory as it relates to security also to Nigeria.
“Nigerians have a right to ask questions, but also the President has a responsibility to make an assessment of what is in the best interests of the country. And I cannot question that decision.”
The news, which revealed details of the largesse to Niger Republic was broken to bewildered Nigerians on
June 15, 2022. The media report revealed details of President Buhari’s Government’s approval of the sum of N1.15 billion for the procurement of 10 Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles for officials of the Niger Republic.
According to the report, the information which was got from the ‘appropriations’ page of the Finance Ministry’s website, and showed that in July 2022, the sum of N1,145,000,000 was approved for payment to Kaura Motors Nigeria Limited to supply the SUVs.
The disbursement was approved by the President since February 2022.
Not a few Nigerians have wondered, and are still wondering about the very special relationship between President Buhari and Niger Republic. Since he became President, Buhari has paid a very special attention to that country, including extending railway lines from Katsina to Niger Republic.
