The Federal Government has faced heavy criticism for sending an extensive delegation of 1,411 individuals to the ongoing COP28 Climate Change Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, accused President Bola Tinubu of turning the conference into a frivolous ‘owambe’ gathering, drawing focus away from the nation’s pressing economic woes.
He criticized Tinubu for the vast delegation, condemning it as an unnecessary display of extravagance during a time of national economic hardship.
In a statement over the weekend by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, the former Vice President lamented that Tinubu neither “understands nor appreciates the enormity of the economic ruin that the country is facing.”
“How will the head of a government turn a conference of climate change to a jamboree, all-comers and ‘owambe’ party of over 1,400 delegates? It is ridiculous and a confirmation that he is still in a slumber as far as governance is concerned.
“The economic dire straits that Nigeria is facing demand that its leaders cut their coats according to the cloth available. It makes no sense for us to continue to borrow money to throw a street party outside the country.
“The leader of the Nigerian delegation should be reminded: COP28UAE is about improving lives, about clean air and water, healthy food, for all people, for nature, for a safe and secure future, and not for a jamboree of over 1,400 Owambe delegates,” Atiku said.
Echoing similar sentiments, Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate, labeled the significant delegation as an irresponsible waste of resources.
He highlighted the stark contrast between China and Nigeria in terms of budget allocation for the summit and the Human Development Index (HDI).
“In a twist of sad irony, let me congratulate the giant of Africa, Nigeria, for matching the great China, with the same number of contingents at the ongoing COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Nigeria’s contingent to COP28 totaled 1411, the same number as the Chinese contingents.
“While China’s budget for 2024 is about $4 trillion, about $2,860 per head; Nigeria’s budget is about $33bn, about $165 per head. China has a high Human Development Index, HDI, with a ranking of 79 out of 191 countries measured, and Nigeria has a low HDI, with a ranking of 163 out of 191 countries measured,” Obi posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle.
Amidst public outcry, Toke Makinwa, a popular TV presenter, raised questions regarding her role as a delegate, sparking dissatisfaction and queries about her relevance to the summit’s agenda.
The outrage stemmed from the significant number of delegates representing Nigeria at the conference amidst the country’s prevailing economic challenges, attributed to policies such as petrol subsidy removal and currency fluctuations under Tinubu’s administration.
In response, the Presidency clarified that less than 100 of the 1,411 delegates were funded by the federal government, emphasizing a varied representation from civil society, business leaders, environmentalists, and journalists, among others.
However, the Presidency defended the diverse representation at the summit, underscoring the inclusion of various stakeholders from different sectors with a vested interest in climate change.
Nevertheless, the exact number of government-funded delegates remains unspecified, fueling speculation and demands for transparency regarding expenditure.
Amidst the controversy, the PDP called for accountability, demanding a detailed breakdown of sponsored delegates and their relevance to the conference, while the NNPP justified the extensive delegation, citing the urgency of addressing climate change’s existential threat.
As debates surrounding the necessity and cost-effectiveness of such a large delegation persist, differing viewpoints emerge on whether tackling climate change warrants such significant expenditure amid Nigeria’s economic challenges.
