Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume (Borno APC), on Friday said the outcry of Nigerians over the controversial N5.095 billion Presidential Yacht was late in coming as it has already been delivered.

Speaking on Friday during an interview on Arise Television, Ndume said the Yacht had been signed and delivered but not yet paid for before the public outcry.

He noted that the Senate has since added the required payment fee for the Yacht to the students loan budget.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday October 31, 2023 requested approval of the two Chambers of the National Assembly for the N2.17trn Supplementary Budget for 2023 with the Yacht as part of the budget details as published.

According to the budget, N5.09 billion was allocated for the Presidential Yacht and listed under the Nigerian Navy’s proposed capital expenditure of N42.3 billion.

The Presidency, on Thursday, dismissed reports that President Tinubu requested for the Presidential Yacht.

According to Ndume: “We queried the amount budgeted for the yacht, but it was signed for in dollar rate, and the new rate isn’t favourable. The budget was predicated for about N435, and now it is over N800.

“The Navy also clarified that it is not a new budget. And even the House of Representatives moved the budget to the Student loan. The deal for the yacht has been agreed, signed, and delivered but not paid for.”

Group Captain Sadeeq Garba Shehu (rtd), an international Defence and Security Consultant had earlier told an online news medium that “the idea of purchasing a Presidential Yacht was first proposed to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2010 (and the reason given was purely for 60th independence celebration and nothing else) at a cost of N3.3 billion but GEJ probably received quality advice and he turned down the idea. Obviously, President Muhammadu Buhari was sold the same idea and agreed in principle but had no money.