By Milcah Tanimu

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, and activist Omoyele Sowore have jointly appealed to President Bola Tinubu to cancel the proposed purchase of a N5 billion presidential yacht. Their criticism stems from the challenging living conditions faced by many impoverished Nigerians.

In the 2023 supplementary budget presented to the National Assembly for approval, a proposal to allocate N5.095 billion for a presidential yacht was included, which has been met with disapproval from various quarters.

Shehu Sani expressed his concern on a social media platform, stating, “The president should without delay cancel the purchase of that N5 billion Presidential Yacht. The poor can’t be struggling for survival in a canoe while their leader is yachting.”

On his part, activist Omoyele Sowore accused Tinubu of perpetuating a dynasty of corruption, writing, “The @officialABAT dynasty of thieves! They want to buy a ‘Presidential Yacht’ for N5 billion for a man who’s never been to a stream before; they want to renovate a Presidential Lodge in Lagos for N4 billion for a man who just built a mansion in Lagos that stretches from Bourdillon to Queens Drive in Ikoyi!”

Sowore also criticized Tinubu’s posturing regarding his son, Seyi, sneaking into Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings, implying that it was a distraction tactic.