Backlash has continued to trail Nigeria’s outing in the COP28 held in Dubai, UAE, over the number of delegates that represented the country amid its economic downturn.
Like China, Nigeria graced the event with 1,411 delegates, ranking below only two other nations; the UAE – 4,409 delegates, and Brazil – 3,081. But compared to the other nations, Nigeria ranks below in economic performance. China boasts of N17.89 trillion in GDP value, Brazil – N1.92 trillion, while Nigeria has N477.37 billion as of 2022.
The situation spurred the uproar on and outside social media over the weekend, mainly, due to Nigeria’s current economic realities that have seen inflation rise to 27.62%. Critics believe among other things, that the government’s decision to deploy a high-numbered contingency to the summit is insensitive to the economic plights of Nigerians.
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Nigeria’s poor economic situation, which has resulted in the rise of multidimensional poverty in the country, has been partly attributed to wasteful spending of scarce resources by the government.
Although the government, in its response to the backlash, said only a handful of the delegates were sponsored by the Federal Government, critics said no excuses justify the outing.
“Nigeria receives development aid from the United States. Nigeria has more delegates to the Climate Conference in Dubai than the United States. Makes no sense…we can’t hide under “they are paying for themselves”…..it just makes no sense,” financial expert, Kalu Aja noted in a post.
Nigeria receives development aid from the United States
Nigeria has more delegates to the Climate Conference in Dubai than the United States
Makes no sense…we can't hide under "they are paying for themselves"…..it just makes no sense
— Kalu Aja (@FinPlanKaluAja1) December 3, 2023
It is believed that the vast majority of individuals within the Nigerian delegation at COP28 consist of non-relevant civil servants or individuals who are either relatives, friends, or associates of high-ranking government officials. Many of them possess minimal understanding or involvement with the subject of Climate Change.
The presidential candidate of Labour Party in the last general elections, Peter Obi, said it is really saddening because this huge contingent is out at public expense at a time when most Nigerians can hardly afford food and basic needs as a result of economic hardship.
“I pray earnestly that a day will come soon enough when we can focus on competing with China on productivity and the miracle of migrating the highest number of its citizens out of poverty over a relatively short time,” he said.
Attempts by the federal government to defend the contingency have failed to calm the backlash. In a statement on Sunday, the presidency said the summit is “not a jamboree, as it is mischievously represented on social media.” It added that all participants “are not funded by the Federal Government.”
Nigerians have demanded to know the actual number of delegates sponsored by the federal government. The National Publicity Secretary of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Debo Ologunagba, said in a statement that President Tinubu went to the summit with his cronies, political minions, and their mistresses at huge expense to the nation.
“The PDP dismisses the feeble attempt by the Presidency to rationalize the over-bloated delegation by trying to hide under genuine sub-national officials, businesses, journalists and civil societies, who are traveling at their own expense to cover the baggage of cronies, mistresses and other hangers-on associated with the Presidency, who are reportedly attending at government’s expense and have no relevance whatsoever at the Conference.
“Our Party and all well-meaning Nigerians are appalled by the level of profligacy inherent in the APC administration whose actions and policies so far are skewed towards the promotion and institutionalization of corruption,” he said.
Ologunagba added: “Our Party challenges the Presidency to come clean by making public the names of the official delegation sponsored by the Federal Government to the Conference, the relevance of such individuals to the Conference, and the total cost of such sponsorship on the nation.
“Of course, Nigerians have the list and they know the genuine officials of sub-national governments and other self-sponsored entities at the Conference.”
Several others agree, asking “How can a broke nation be spending more money than a wealthy one?”
“Cthief Tinubu packed the entire APC members to a Climate Conference #Cop28 using money that we don’t even have. A country in debt for God’s Sake,” Serah Ibrahim wrote on X. “You will think Nigeria was the host with the number of people Cthief Tinubu packed using Govt. money.”
Cthief Tinubu packed the entire APC members to a Climate Conference #Cop28 using money that we don’t even have.
A country in debt for God’s Sake.
You will think Nigeria was the host with the number of people Cthief Tinubu packed using Govt money.UAE is the host and so, have… pic.twitter.com/uWfhdHMeMz
— SERAH IBRAHIM (@TheSerahIbrahim) December 2, 2023
This development comes in the wake of the controversy surrounding the 2023 supplementary budget recently signed by Tinubu, which included extravagant expenses such as cars, a yacht, and costly renovation allocations for office and residential buildings, totaling billions of naira.