TheCable

Ali Ndume, chief whip of the senate, says the controversial presidential yacht has been delivered but not paid for.

Appearing on ‘The Morning Show’, a programme on Arise Television, on Friday, Ndume said the N5 billion earmarked for the yacht was inserted in the supplementary budget because it was yet to be paid for.

Both chambers of the national assembly passed a N2 trillion supplementary budget on Thursday.

However, the house of representatives reallocated the budget for the yacht to the students’ loan programme.

The senate and house will have to harmonise and take a position before it is transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

The Borno senator said the upper legislative chamber queried the provision when it worked on the budget proposal.

“I understand that the presidential yacht has already been delivered,” he said.

“The deal has been signed, delivered but not paid and that is what brought the inclusion of that amount in the supplementary budget.

“When we saw that amount, we queried it. When we asked those questions, the navy provided an explanation that this is not a new item.

“I know the president is not a luxurious person, he won’t go for that.

“At this time, that N5 billion going for that is not adequate. In the house of reps, they felt differently and that it should be completely removed and added to the N5 billion provided for the student loan.”

The senator said the project is not a new one and the navy made the proposal because “they felt they have a commitment that has to be met”.

The presidency has since said the yacht is a naval vessel.