The Acting President, Osinbajo, Blows Hot, Goes After Goodluck Jonathan
The controversies surrounding the construction of a Vice President’s residence, are not the making of the current administration, but that of the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
He also said that he was comfortable with his Aguda House, which he currently occupies, describing it as a befitting official residence for the Vice President, and sufficient for his needs.
He suggested that the proposed new official residence for the VP, an on-going project expected to gulp over 7 Billion, should rather be converted by the Federal Government into its best use.
Osinbajo’s statement is coming on the heels of varying criticism surrounding the proposed official residence for the VP.
Dino Melaye, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, recently hinted that just the security post, known otherwise as the gate house, will cost as much as N250 million.
However, Osinbajo in a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, explained that the decision to build the new residence and the controversial gatehouse, was not the initiative of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
“For the umpteenth time, we would 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.
“The project which started in 2010, was initiated and funded by the immediate past administration, but 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.
“Besides, the incumbent Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has said publicly that he considers the 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, 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,” the statement read.
