Jonathan spent N64b on Nigeria’s independence anniversaries – El-Rufai

The Kaduna State Governor, Malam, Nasir El-Rufai, has said the regime of former President Goodluck Jonathan spent not less than N64 billion celebrating Nigeria’s independent anniversaries in four years.
The years were 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
The present regime of President Muhammadu Buhari, however, announced a budget of N70 million for this year’s anniversary, which took place on Thursday.
In a post on his Facebook page, El-Rufai gave the breakdown of the spendings on the independence anniversaries in the last five years as follows:
2011 – N13 billion
2012 – N15 billion
2013 – N14 billion
2014 – N22 billion
2015 – N70 million
Commenting on the development before giving the breakdown, El-Rufai said the change in spending on the anniversary was what Nigerians voted for in the All Progressives Congress and Buhari.
He wrote: “Happy Independence Anniversary ??NIGERIA??
“THE APC-PMB CHANGE WE VOTED FOR….”
El-Rufai concluded: “Good morning and #‎GODBlessNIGERIA.”
However, some of those who commented on the post by El-Rufai said he should have included the years former President Olusegun Obasanjo was in power and when he served as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Some equally commended the government of Buhari while there were those who equally pointed out what they felt was the outrageous spending of the incumbent president.
Samples of the comments unedited:
Austine Ejeke: “Why didnt Hell-Rule-Fire include the amount spent by Obasanjo for Independence when he was FCT Minister!!”
Umar Sani: “What is the source of this statistics?”
Rotimi Eweje: “An end to profligacy in Nigeria by God’s grace. PMB keep it up!”
Mukhtar Ashafalala: “Your Excellency you should have gone beyond 2011 that is the Obasanjo era of which you were part of. You better be fair, not just choose a particular regime. Muji tsoron ALLAH.”
Obioha Iyke Anyanwu: “N70 million to celebrate Nigerian independence and N60 million to buy a piece of land at Daura to build a helipad when a plot of land in Daura cost N200,000, who is deceiving who, GEJ never built a helipad in Otueke,he lands his helicopter at Otueke primary school.”
Isaac Holy Lion Richards: “Why did you not start from OBJ time or even 2007 Yar’Adua your brother became the president??? It’s high time you stopped this hatred against Jonathan and forge ahead. Buhari is not a saint and you too. Do your good work and leave the rest for God.Nigeria is not a poor a nation to celebrate her independence with NGN70,000,000 if we are to judge it. It is once in a year something and need to be done well. What is the justification spending close to NGN2billion according to the media going to US to see Obama when Nigeria claims to be an independent state? What is the independent in the so called Independence when Buhari is flying all over the world with Air Force seeking for foreign assistance to rule Nigeria????”
Harry Ahamba: “God help Nigeria. We are lucky to have voted decent human beings as our leaders. Let those ‘goats’ who ate our ‘yams’ and their misguided supporters go on agonizing!”