You still want to debate with Peter Obi? Sen Sani asks Osinbajo over cost of governance

Senator Shehu Sani 

Shehu Sani, former senator who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th senate, has mocked Vice president Yemi Osinbajo for calling for a national debate over high cost of running government.

The vice president had called for a national debate on the cost of governance in the country.

He lamented that the federal government is spending a lot of money on ghost workers annually, a trend that should no longer continue.


He expressed these views at a webinar hosted on Zoom by Emmanuel Chapel on Friday, describing the country’s governance structure as “large and expensive.”

Former Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, who was a panelist at the session, had asked the Vice president a question on the cost of governance.

Sanusi, specifically at the webinar, had said there was a need “to reduce structural cost and make government more sustainable over the long term.”




Responding to Sanusi’s inquiries, Osinbajo affirmed the need to reduce cost, but said it might be a little difficult considering the structure of the constitution.

“There is no question that we are dealing with a large and expensive government. But as you know, given the current constitutional structure, those who would have to vote to reduce government, especially to become part-time legislators, are the very legislators themselves.

“You can imagine that we may not get very much traction if they are asked to vote themselves, as it were, out of their current relatively decent circumstances.



However, Senator Shehu Sani in a tweet on Sunday, said Osinbajo is the vice president and instead of him to work with Buhari to reduce the cost of governance, he is rather calling for a debate. He wondered whether he still want to debate with Peter Obi.

You said Nigeria is running an expensive Government and you are a VP,instead of working with your Boss to cut cost you are calling for ‘debate’;You still want to meet Peter Obi for debate? Haba my Prof.

— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) June 20, 2020

He tweeted, "You said Nigeria is running an expensive Government and you are a VP, instead of working with your Boss to cut cost you are calling for ‘debate’; You still want to meet Peter Obi for debate? Haba my Prof.