Information Minister, Lai Mohammed wants to spend about N50 million to dish out pro-government propaganda using social media influencers, analysts, radio, and television stations as stated in the 2022 budget. 

A copy of the 2023 Appropriation Bill submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly seen by Peoples Gazette shows the information ministry will spend N49,900,200 to facilitate media appearances for 36 ministers.

The proposed amount will also be used to pay social media influencers, analysts, radio, and television stations in exchange for good press for Mr Buhari’s regime, characterised by human rights abuses, hunger, and poverty. 

The project with code number ERGP9124025 in the proposed budget was categorised as “ongoing,” indicating that the regime has commenced pushing out propaganda using social media influencers, analysts, radio, and television stations. 

In June, The Gazette reported how five media organisations in the U.S. rejected an attempt to plant opinion articles that sought to launder Mr Buhari’s image. 

Attorney-General Abubakar Malami sponsored the botched opinion to dispel harsh criticisms of Mr Buhari’s human rights records and alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

This came amid Mr Buhari’s regime plan to borrow to finance the N6.258 trillion deficit in the proposed 2022 budget. 

According to the Nigerian Domestic and Foreign Debt Report, published this year by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the country’s total public debt under Mr Buhari watch as of September 2020 stood at N32.2 trillion ($84.57 billion).

Speaking on Mr Buhari regime borrowing spree Mr Obasanjo, who wondered what the Buhari-led regime is borrowing for, condemned the continuous borrowing by the Mr Buhari regime, saying accumulating debt for future generation is “foolish” and “criminal.”