NNPP Speaks On Nigeria’s 1,411 Delegates To COP28 Summit In Dubai

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has said Nigeria’s large delegation to the COP28 Climate Change Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) was justified.

Public outrage has greeted the list of Nigerian delegates to the Climate Change summit, with many Nigerians on social media asking the reason for the inclusion of some names on the purported list.

According to the list released by the event organisers last week, Nigeria sent 1,411 delegates, the third highest number, to the summit.

The Presidency, however, clarified that of the 1,411 delegates, those funded by the federal government across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) were less than 100.

Speaking with Daily Trust on the issue, the NNPP spokesman, Yakubu Shendam, said the outrage over the huge number of delegates to the COP28 Summit was unnecessary.

Shendam stated that climate change poses an existential threat to all Nigerians and all humanity, and Nigeria’s delegation to Dubai is one of the stakeholders.

He said, “Well, when issues affect the whole of humanity globally, it’s always good for stakeholders to put their hands on deck to know what they can do to solve the problem.

“So, for us at the NNPP, we’ve always maintained that humanity is very precious to us, and the conference in Dubai has to do with climate change, which poses an existential threat to humanity. Nigeria’s delegation to Dubai is part of the stakeholders.”

Pressed further on whether the large delegation and the accompanying expenditure was necessary in the face of the harsh economic situation in the country, he maintained that “humanity comes before economy. There won’t be an economy without humanity.

“So, no expenditure is too much when it comes to tackling climate change, which threatens the very existence of all Nigerians and humanity generally.”