120-Car Convoy: Tinubu Draws Angst of Nigerians
The Evangelist News Edition, Wednesday June 28, 2023. By Simeon Ogoegbulem
President Bola Tinubu yesterday, drew the angst of Nigerians when a video surfaced online showing over 120 exotic vehicles in his convoy escorting him to his private residence in Lagos. Tinubu had arrived in Lagos State on Tuesday from his private visit to London after attending the Paris Finance Summit.
The first time he would be in Lagos since his inauguration as the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and expectedly, thousands of his supporters and political dignitaries, including Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu were on the ground to give him a state welcome.
However, what should have been a “quiet” arrival, quickly became a spectacle of some bizarre sort with the long motorcade that followed the President to his new private residence.
In a video that surfaced online, which was captured by a roadside admirer, multiple SUVs were seen speeding ahead and behind the President’s official car.
The video immediately drew reactions from Nigerians who frowned at such a show of opulence, while many masses have seen their standard of living erode as a result of te government’s newly introduced policies
First, human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, in a tweet, questioned the rationale behind the long convoy when Nigerians are groaning under the effect of fuel subsidy removal.
He wrote, “Why does the President of the poverty capital of the world need to ride in a 120-car convoy and the same people remove subsidy, asking the poor to make sacrifices?”
In the same vein, another tweep, @OpeBee said such display of convoy shows the insensitivity of political office holders to hard times currently faced by Nigerians
“I feel very constrained to speak out on issues like this. Yesterday it was the speaker with 34 aides; today it’s the opulent display of convoys. You can’t ask the masses for austerity and live ostentatiously. I personally would not support any policy that further inflicts pain,” he lamented.
He further declared that Nigerians will be forced to resist any further pain as a result of new policies if the government won’t cut down on waste, asking what sacrifices are they also making in this austere period.
“If the government will refuse to cut down on “these excesses”, the masses must be ready to resist any further pain that speaks insensitively to their plight. Our leaders must lead by example.
“What are the sacrifices our leaders are making or willing to make in this painful and austere period? I am listening, someone should please educate me,” he asked.
Meanwhile, in contrary reactions, some Nigerians urged others not to be hard on the president, saying not all the cars in the convoy belonged to him.
A tweep @nut_joshua argued other political dignitaries also joined in the convoy.
“Well, It’s wasteful. But I’m not sure the convoy is for him alone. The convoy of top officials that went to welcome him was probably added.
“Even POTUS alone doesn’t use 120-car convoy,” he tweeted.
Tinubu will spend the Sallah holidays in Lagos before returning to Abuja. (Source: CenturyPost).
