Premium News
Confusion and controversy have trailed the ₦20.4 billion birthday fundraiser organized by First Lady Remi Tinubu, after a report by Premium Times listed the late former President Muhammadu Buhari among the donors.
According to the report, contributions were made toward completing the long-stalled National Library project.
Among those listed as donors were President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and his wife, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and his wife, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and his wife, as well as several state governors.
However, public attention quickly shifted when the name of Buhari—who died and was buried on July 15—appeared among contributors to a project that was only announced on September 2.
A social media user, Obiasogu David, who shared a screenshot of the report on X, questioned the development:
“According to Premium Times, the late former President Buhari is among the people who donated to Remi Tinubu’s birthday project for completing the National Library.
How did Buhari, who died and was buried on July 15, contribute to a project that was announced on September 2?”
The revelation has triggered disbelief and mockery online. Some Nigerians sarcastically compared the donation to the recovery of “Abacha loot,” suggesting that money might now also be flowing from the dead.
Remi Tinubu had insisted that the fundraiser was aimed at finally completing the National Library, which had remained abandoned for decades. She explained that the signatories to the fundraising account were the Minister of Education and the Chief Librarian of the Federation, while her role was limited to mobilizing support.
Still, critics argue that the inclusion of a deceased donor raises troubling questions about transparency and accountability in the handling of the ₦20.4 billion drive.
