The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has berated the administration of President Bola Tinubu for spending N3 billion on verification of poor citizens’ national register.

In a series of tweets on Wednesday, Mr Obi said that such wasteful spending was the reason Nigeria must take urgent actions to cut the cost of governance.

“It is very surprising to hear that the sum of N3 billion was approved for verification of national register of the poor,” Mr Obi said.

He added, “This can only happen in Nigeria. I have maintained that we must decisively deal with the issue of cost of governance in Nigeria now as a matter of urgency.”

Mr Obi argued that N3 billion would go a long way in alleviating poverty alleviation rather than spending it on verification of national register of poor citizens.

“The same amount would have made a significant impact if prudently and transparently managed. Moreso, with more than half of our population battling with absolute and multidimensional poverty, one wonders why such a huge sum was approved for just verification of national register of the poor, when the same amount could have been directed towards actual poverty alleviation. This approval raises a fundamental question: how come the data for poverty alleviation has not been verified on a regular basis?,” Mr Obi said.

Mr Obi’s criticisms follow a leaked document granting approval to the humanitarian ministry to spend N3 billion for verification of national register of the poor from COVID palliative funds.

Amid public outrage over the leaked document, the presidency said that the N3 billion was approved for the national register of the poor.

Reacting to the leaked document on X, a lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, said, “N3 billion “for verification” of “National Social Register”? Fela called it authority stealing. They want the masses to continue to make sacrifices while the people in government continue to loot and live lavishly.”