GRWM to squander public funds
Nigerian first lady might be eating more than she can chew
Good morning, Big Brains and happy public holiday to you. I certainly hope that this email finds you in your PJs because you have no business working today. Enjoy your daily dose of smarts!
- Margaret
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This Week’s Big Question - “Are you interested in voting in 2027, or would you rather not be in Nigeria to see what happens?”
Share your responses with us and if we think it’s fun enough, we’ll feature it in the newsletter :) so be on the lookout.
Let’s get into the news you missed during the weekend:
FG accused of spending ₦701 million on First Lady’s trips in three months
Local and global activists ask FG to withdraw bill to repeal VAPP Act
Peter Obi denies claims of contesting as VP in 2027 presidential elections
The Big Deal
FG accused of spending ₦701 million on First Lady’s trips in three months
Remi Tinubu, First Lady of Nigeria and the Queen of making everything from scratch (sorry, Nara Smith), has made news for all the wrong reasons again. Remember how the First Lady encouraged Nigerian women to plant their food from scratch instead of complaining about the rising food prices? We’ve added the well-lit pictures of her showcasing her little farm produce to refresh your memory.
That picture didn’t age well because there’s a new report that suggests that the First Lady hasn’t been very sustainable with the other pleasures of life. The federal government has reportedly spent about ₦701 million on Remi Tinubu’s trips to five countries in only three months.
This isn’t Remi’s first time being caught up in this kind of controversy. In 2023, the Federal Government included ₦1.5 billion in the ₦2.1 trillion supplementary budget to purchase vehicles for the Office of the First Lady. Senate claims that the money was actually budgeted to get cars for the Presidency, not the first lady’s office as initially reported. But GovSpend, a platform that tracks government spending, has shown that the government spent ₦700,707,532 over the course of three months on the First Lady's trips to five countries, including two in Africa.
Why is this a big deal?
The Nigerian constitution doesn’t recognize the office of the first lady and makes no provision for any official role to be given to the president’s wife. This might come as a surprise because all administrations Nigeria has had since it started practising democracy have recognized this role.
For a role that isn’t even recognized by the constitution, it’s outrageous that Remi Tinubu spent ₦700,707,532 on just five trips while many Nigerians struggle to afford their daily commute. We’d think someone like Remi who has a thing for making food from scratch would be more resourceful with public funds but that might not be the case.
This report suggests there’s a lot more money floating around than the government admits—money that’s firmly in the hands of the elite, while the masses are left to struggle with the remnant.
Local and global activists ask FG to withdraw bill to repeal VAPP Act
In August, the worst fear of many Nigerian women happened. Senator Jibrin Isah, a MAN in governance, started pushing to repeal the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act. If this is your first time hearing about this act, the first thing you need to know is that it offers protection against gender-based violence (GBV) and helps keep girls safe, empowered, and educated throughout Nigeria. You should also know that Nigeria didn’t have a national law on violence against women before the VAPP Act.
In 2002, over 55 groups formed the Legislative Advocacy Coalition Against Violence Against Women (LACVAW) to push for women’s protection. Their efforts led to the VAPP Act, which was passed and signed into law in 2015.
In Senator Jibrin’s main argument, he said the act is not comprehensive and has unclear parts that make it hard to enforce properly. He argued that the law needs to be updated to reflect today's issues. What he’s proposing, although not with ill intent, will set women back by many years.
Global and local non-profit organisations like Malala Fund are now calling on the Nigerian government to make sure the call for repeal is dropped immediately like a bad habit.
Nabila Aguele, Chief Executive of Malala Fund Nigeria, thinks that repealing this act “would not only undermine efforts to protect Nigerian women and girls from violence but also threaten their right to education.”
Hamzat Lawal, Founder of Connected Development (CODE), also agreed with Aguele. But she acknowledged that “the Act might need revisions to address specific issues, the idea of repealing it entirely is deeply concerning. Instead of taking a step backwards, we should focus on strengthening and implementing the Act more effectively.
Right now, we don’t know the future of this Act in Nigeria but we hope it’s a good future.
Peter Obi denies claims of contesting as VP in 2027 presidential elections
Everybody is on public holiday today except the Peter Obi conspiracy theorists. The rumours of the former presidential aspirant intending to run as the vice president of another aspirant in 2027 have been making rounds on social media but Obi has recently called bullshit.
He confirmed that he is still committed to the Labour Party and believes anyone seeking collaboration with him should be honest about their intentions.
He also hinted that he might not necessarily contest in the 2027 elections like many Nigerians believe because he’s not desperate for the presidency or any other role but is focused on Nigeria’s development.
Obi said he is open to working with anyone who shares his vision for Nigeria’s progress.
“Let me reiterate clearly what I said, which is on record. I do not want to be one of those preoccupied with 2027 while Nigerians are suffering from hunger, poverty, insecurity, and other pressing challenges.”
The Big Picks
UN Team Visits Maiduguri, Seeks Urgent Support For Flood Victims: United Nations officials and humanitarian organisations have visited Maiduguri to address the severe flooding affecting the area.
Trump Safe After Gunshots In His Vicinity: Donald Trump's campaign reported on Sunday that there had been "gunshots near him," but assured that the Republican presidential candidate was unharmed.
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