The Nigerian Navy has said that the controversial ‘Presidential Yacht’ is for its exclusive operational use and not for the President.
Many have expressed anger upon hearing ‘Presidential Yacht’ which is causing the country a whooping N5bn, especially thinking it was ordered by President Bola Tinubu.
The National Assembly has stopped the purchase but the Navy said it had already bought but had yet to pay for it.
About N5bn had been allocated to the yacht in the N2.1trn supplementary budget transmitted by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Monday.
But speaking on the issue in the interview with Saturday PUNCH on Friday, the naval spokesperson said, “It was delivered in June 2023. We have not used it yet.”
When asked if the inability to pay for the yacht was responsible for the delay in using it, he stated, “Correct. It’s tied to the non-payment.”
This implies that until the payment is made, the navy may not be able to use it for its operational activities.
Amid heavy criticisms that had greeted the procurement, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had said the yacht was not for Tinubu’s personal use.
He had stated, “What was named as Presidential Yacht in the budget is an operational naval boat with specialised security gadgets suitable for high-profile operational inspection and not for the use of the President.”
The navy during an interview with our correspondent on Thursday also confirmed the statement by the presidency, stressing that the navy, and not Tinubu requested for the yacht. He had said, “Under the immediate past administration, a long overdue request was made for a Presidential yacht to replace MV AMARIA, the defunct Presidential yacht. It was also to be used for the Presidential Fleet Review 2023 that was held in May this year.”
