Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, representing Ondo South District, has staunchly defended Nigeria’s substantial delegation of 422 individuals at the COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai.
Amidst widespread criticism regarding the large number of delegates accompanying President Bola Tinubu, Senator Ibrahim emphasized the necessity of such representation for the bilateral agreements signed by Tinubu during the summit.
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Initially reported as 1,411, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris clarified that only 422 delegates were government-funded.
Responding to public outcry on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Senator Ibrahim justified the delegation, stating that it played a pivotal role in securing multimillion-dollar agreements beneficial to Nigeria.
Senator Ibrahim argued that Tinubu’s credibility and Nigeria’s serious interests were at stake, making significant representation crucial.
Contrary to public sentiment, he expressed the view that funding over 400 individuals for such conferences was insufficient and could potentially enhance Nigeria’s chances of hosting future global events.
Highlighting the historical significance of Nigeria’s participation and its impact on global knowledge-sharing, Senator Ibrahim stressed the nation’s environmental challenges, particularly pollution.
Within the COP28 summit, he emphasized the urgency for African nations to establish climate change liability agreements with developed countries responsible for carbon emissions.
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Furthermore, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim underscored the imperative of addressing environmental damage caused by industrial waste and emissions in Nigeria and across Africa.
He concluded by asserting, “Funding over 400 people to a conference like this is too small. You may want to host the conference sometime in the future.”
