COP28: Seyi Tinubu, Stewards, Chefs, Cooks Among Nigerian Delegation

The large number of delegates from Nigeria attending the COP28 climate change summit in Dubai has sparked widespread reactions and criticism.

Despite having 1,411 delegates at the conference, the Federal Government disclosed that it only sponsored 422 of them.

Presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), along with various civil society organizations, have criticized the size of Nigeria’s delegation, labeling it as unnecessary and a misuse of resources.

The PDP urged the government to disclose the names of the delegates, requested the National Assembly to investigate the delegation, and asked President Tinubu to reimburse the expenses for delegates with no significant role at the conference.

According to Daily Trust, notably the delegate list includes President Tinubu’s son, Seyi, along with chefs, luggage officers, stewards, and over 50 personal assistants.

The delegation also comprises over 30 ministers and heads of government agencies, including the Ministers of Environment, Water Resources, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Aviation, Information, Lakpobiri, Petroleum, Mineral Resources, Attorney-General, Gas Development, Abubakar Kyari, Agriculture, Power, Youth and Sport, State for Environment, Education, among others.

Also on the list are an actress and on-air personality, Toke Makinwa, IBD Dende, and two senior special assistants to the Lagos State governor (state lotteries & corporate finance/investments), a member representing Lagos Island II in the Lagos State House of Assembly and a staff of PZ Cussons.

The UN said Nigeria has the third-largest delegation to the event, behind only China and Brazil.

Also on the list are 138 delegates from the State House has 138, 54 from the National Council on Climate Change, 53 from the Ministry of Environment, 36 from the National Assembly, and 28 from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd.