Akpabio Cancels Dubai Trip Amid COP28 Delegates Controversies

President of the Nigerian Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, has cancelled his planned visit to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for the COP28 Climate Change Summit.

Naija News reports that Akpabio’s decision comes in response to the widespread discontent among Nigerians regarding the large number of delegates, totalling 1,411, who accompanied President Bola Tinubu to the summit.

These delegates consisted of government officials, representatives from the private sector, and members of civil society organizations.

While speaking at a one-day retreat on the 2024 budget in Abuja on Wednesday, December 6, Akpabio said he decided to cancel his planned trip to Dubai after considering recent criticisms from Nigerians.

The Senate President, who said he has delegated someone to represent him, said he will now focus on the 2024 budget defence sessions with government agencies.

“I have decided to stay back, and I asked somebody from Cote d’Ivoire to represent me there,” Daily Post quoted Akpabio saying.

FG Only Funded 422 Delegates At COP28 Summit In Dubai

Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said the Federal Government funded 422 persons out of the 1,411 Nigerians at the ongoing COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Naija News reports that Idris made this known in a statement on Monday following the controversy that greeted the revelation that Nigeria had one of the highest delegations at the conference despite the rising poverty and hunger across the country.

The government said the Nigerian delegation includes government officials, representatives from the private sector, civil society, the voluntary sector, state governments, media, multilateral institutions, representatives of marginalised communities, and many others.

However, Idris said 422 delegates were chosen from the Presidency, National Council on Climate Change, Federal Ministry of Environment, All Ministries, Office of the Vice President, National Assembly, and federal parastatals and agencies.

The statement, titled ‘Re: Nigeria At Cop-28’ reads, “The Federal Government has noted with interest the public conversation on the number of delegates from Nigeria attending the ongoing Climate Summit in Dubai, otherwise called COP-28, and the need to provide clarity in line with a standing pledge to conduct itself with transparency and accessibility regarding public information.

“The Convention of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the world’s pre-eminent Climate Change Conference, attended this year (COP-28) by more than 70,000 participants and delegates from over 100 countries. Nigeria’s representation is very much in line with our status as Africa’s leading Sovereign voice and player in climate action.

“Parties to this Convention from Nigeria include government officials, representatives from the private sector, civil society, the voluntary sector, state governments, media, multilateral institutions, representatives of marginalised communities, and many others.

“It is imperative to point out that the overall Nigerian delegation to COP28 comprises government-sponsored (Federal and State Governments) and non-government-sponsored participants (from private companies to NGOs, CSOs, Media, academia, etc).”