Vice President Namadi Sambo often appears to be a quiet and reserved fellow, rarely involved in Political Jagajaga. At least he is not known to have aides who bark like dogs and lie from both sides of their mouth in a bid to keep their job. However, the rich Architect/Politician is spending a fortune to furnish and upgrade his official residence and guest house, two projects costing N2.1 billion and lingering since his election alongside President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. Sadly, he is not spending his (maybe) hard earned money but taxpayers money.
In three years leading up to 2013, the government has spent a minimum of N300 million annually to furnish and upgrade the vice president’s residence and guest house, according to past and present federal budgets.
The biggest spending -N900 million- for the upgrade and furnishing was done in 2011. That year alone, N500 million was channelled into acquiring, upgrading and furnishing the vice president’s guest house at Aguda House, while a separate N400 million was spent on purchasing some more furniture and extending the vice president’s lounge there.
In 2012, the government spent additional N437.1 million for the “upgrading and furnishing” of the same guest house, and squandered additional N112 million solely on “household equipment” for Mr. Sambo’s residence. The installation of Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) facilities at the residence, was completed at a whopping N202 million.
This year, the vice president’s Aguda guest house and his residence were furnished at a relatively modest N75.7 million, while landscaping at the residence alone was done at N26 million. A new guest house for Mr. Sambo, at Yakubu Gowon crescent, Asokoro, was also given N170.7 million worth of furniture.
