– 

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, on Sunday denied the federal government budgeted N250 million to build a gate house for his new residence.

He stated that that his present Aguda House official residence is good enough for him and that he has no immediate need for another official residence for the vice president.

“For the umpteenth time, we like to clarify that the proposed plan of the immediate past administration to build a new official residence for the occupant of the office of the vice president, including the controversial gatehouse preceded this administration,” Laolu Akande,  Osinbajo’s senior special assistant, media and publicity said.

Akande said that the project which started in 2010, was initiated and funded by the immediate past administration noting that the planned construction of the new residence “had never featured in the two budget proposals of the Buhari administration: neither in the 2016 nor the 2017 spending plans”.

“Any suggestion therefore that this project benefits our administration or that it reflects our spending style or preferences is not only misleading but blatantly false,” Akande said.

He disclosed that “the incumbent Vice President Osinbajo, has said publicly that he considers Aguda House, which he currently occupies, a befitting official residence for the vice president and sufficient for his needs”.

While the project  is now about 85 percent complete, Akande said “the Federal Government, in the circumstances, will decide at the appropriate time what is the best use for the 14 buildings already on the project site”.

— Feb 20, 2017 @ 6:30 GMT

|