Controversy is raging over the number of Nigerians attending the COP28 in the United Arab Emirates.
More than 1000 people from the West African country are attending the UN climate conference along with delegates from around the world.
There has been an uproar on social media with some accusing the Nigerian government of sending a ''bloated delegation'' to the world event at the expense of taxpayers amid economic hardships at home.
Some opposition politicians have also faulted the size of the team. President Bola Tinubu is among African leaders at the COP28.
One of Mr Tinubu's challengers in last year's presidential elections, Peter Obi of Labour Party described the size of the Nigerian delegation as ''sad irony'' saying some of those in the government team were ''non-relevant.''
Non-relevant personnel
Leading opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), also accused the government of mismanaging the ''scarce resources of the nation’’ be sending an ''over-bloated COP28 Delegation.''
Not government-sponsored
However, the Nigerian government has denied the accusations by the opposition and sought to clarify the reasons behind the large number of Nigerians attending the climate conference.
A spokesperson for the Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said not all the attendees were sponsored by the government adding that there were delegates from private businesses, NGOs, private individuals, and media personnel unconnected with the government.
‘’It is important to state here that delegates from all countries, whether from government, private sector…are registered against their countries of origin. This does not mean that they are sponsored or funded by the government,’’ Temitope Ajayi, a senior advisor to the president on media said in a statement.
Ajayi said that as the ''biggest country in Africa'' with the ''biggest economy'' and one with a ''bigger stake on climate action'', it is ''a no-brainer that delegates from Nigeria will be more than any other country in Africa.’’
However, officials have not disclosed the exact number of delegates sponsored by the Nigerian government.
The COP 28 summit, which began on November 30 in Dubai, will end on December 12, 2023, with more than 70,000 delegates in attendance.
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