Data from govspend, a portal which documents the Presidential Villa expenditure, indicates that a whopping sum of N244,654,350 was spent by Aso Rock for the purchase and supply of tyres in 24-hours.
Checks show that the State House made payments for the supply of an unspecified quantity of bulletproof tyres and Westlake tyres, on May 21, 2024 —the same week that the President Bola Tinubu marked his first year in office.
Documents showed that the sums of N200,583,390, N38,070,000, and N6,000,960, were respectively paid for these items on the said date.
The documents revealed that two separate payments were made for the purchase and supply of tyres (no specified quantity) for bulletproof vehicles and another five armoured bulletproof tyres to Obi-Wealth Enterprises Nigeria Limited (RC-640684) for the sums of N200,583,390 and N38,070,000.
A quick search on the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) website revealed that the company is inactive.
Hommy & Fay Investments Limited, active on the CAC portal, handled the other part of the supply of an unspecified number of Westlake tyres (315/80R22) for N6,000,960.
Recall that 24-hours after the tyre payments were made, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, apologised to Nigerians over the nationwide hardship.
Speaking during the ministerial sectoral update, he said the policies of the Tinubu-led government were on track despite the currency crisis and inflation which has frustrated economic growth.
“So what’s the answer to all of these? It’s to restore macroeconomic stability that will ensure that investors, both domestic and international put their face in our economy once again. And we are all doing this without a blame game. And I apologize for the pain that they may occasion, but they are necessary… Is our strategy, right? Absolutely. We believe our strategy is right, but it requires occasional calibration. Put good money to use,” he had said.
