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Atiku’s media aide says Tinubu’s reported habit of walking to work and eating once daily cannot justify what he describes as wasteful government spending.
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Paul Ibe lists multi-billion-naira expenditures on vehicles, official residences, the presidential fleet and foreign travel as evidence that the real challenge is the high cost of governance.
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He argues that meaningful relief for Nigerians will come from slashing public expenditure and improving fiscal discipline, not promoting the President’s personal lifestyle.
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The latest exchange deepens the war of words between the Presidency and the opposition over economic hardship, government priorities and public spending.
August 11, (THEWILL) — The Media Adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has launched a scathing attack on the Tinubu administration, dismissing attempts to portray President Bola Tinubu’s personal lifestyle as evidence of fiscal prudence and insisting that Nigerians need deep cuts in government spending rather than what he described as public relations narratives.
Ibe’s response followed remarks by the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Zacch Adedeji, who, during an interview on Channels Television, defended the President against allegations of extravagance by saying Tinubu walks from his residence to his office, eats only one meal daily and has not travelled outside Nigeria in the past three months.
Reacting in a post on his X account on Monday, Ibe argued that the President’s personal habits have little relevance to the economic realities confronting millions of Nigerians struggling with soaring inflation, high food prices and declining purchasing power.
“The Chairman of Nigeria Revenue, Dr Zacch Adedeji, needs to be schooled that it is better for President Bola Tinubu to take a helicopter to the office and eat an eight-course Chinese banquet instead of the monumental wastages in his government. What’s the monetary value of his trekking and eating once a day?” Ibe wrote.
‘Cut Waste, Not Meals’
The Atiku spokesman maintained that the real issue before Nigerians is the escalating cost of governance, arguing that the administration should channel its energy into eliminating what he called wasteful spending rather than defending the President’s personal routine.
According to Ibe, one of the clearest examples is the reported acquisition of vehicles for members of the National Assembly valued at about ₦70 billion, alongside ₦1.5 billion reportedly approved for vehicles attached to the Office of the First Lady.
He also questioned the procurement of a new presidential aircraft reportedly costing more than $150 million, in addition to budgetary provisions exceeding ₦5 billion for the presidential fleet.
Ibe further criticised allocations of ₦21 billion for the renovation of the Vice President’s official residence, ₦4 billion for Dodan Barracks and ₦3 billion for Aguda House, describing such expenditures as difficult to justify at a time when many Nigerians struggle to afford basic necessities.
The opposition spokesman also cited what he described as extensive local and foreign travel expenses by the Presidency, as well as the size of the Federal Executive Council, arguing that reducing the cost of governance would deliver greater economic benefits than highlighting the President’s eating habits.
He further criticised the ₦15 trillion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, alleging that it bypassed transparent procurement processes and diverted scarce public resources from more pressing national priorities.
“The President should stop trekking to office and eating once a day because the savings from it are inconsequential. Instead, he should be focused on cutting waste”, Ibe stated.
READ ALSO: Subsidy, FX, Oil, Tax: NRS Chairman Lists Four Economic Problems Tinubu Inherited
Fresh Political Salvo
Ibe’s remarks represent the latest exchange between the Presidency and the opposition over the Tinubu administration’s handling of the economy and the cost of governance.
Adedeji had defended the President’s lifestyle while responding to criticism that government officials were living lavishly despite widespread economic hardship, insisting Tinubu spends most of his time working, rarely attends social events and leads a modest personal life.
However, Ibe argued that personal frugality, even if accurate, does not address broader concerns over public expenditure, insisting that what Nigerians expect is a substantial reduction in the cost of governance and more prudent management of public resources.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
