Mahdi Shehu has criticized what he characterizes as irresponsible public spending by Nigeria’s political leaders.
According to him, the contrast between expensive government perks and deteriorating public health care is unacceptable.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Shehu highlighted that politicians ride Prado jeeps while hospitals lack essentials.
He pointed to the use of costly Toyota Prado vehicles by office holders at the same time that many government hospitals struggle to provide basic care.
Shehu said the continued purchase and use of Prado jeeps each costing about ₦230 million is particularly troubling given the country’s urgent health needs.
“One Toyota Prado jeep can buy 20 sets of brand‑new double compartment incubators with phototherapy light,” he noted.
He stressed that newborn babies in some hospitals are being cared for on plastic chairs because incubators are unavailable.
He wrote that billions of naira have been spent on private plane charters for governors and members of the National Assembly, even as critical health infrastructure remains unfunded.
Shehu added that public funds continue to be mismanaged in other areas, claiming that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL) has yet to explain the whereabouts of funds totalling nearly ₦600 trillion from 2017 to 2023.
“At a time when public office holders and politicians travel abroad for medical treatment. This is not democracy. This is governance inflicted never visited on any people on earth.”
