The unveiling of the new Airbus A330 presidential jet purchased by President Bola Tinubu’s government has met with widespread anger.
While pictures of the presidential jet via his verified X handle on Monday night, the Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga stated that the new jet replaces the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700 (BBJ acquired during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He noted that acquiring the new jet will save Nigeria millions of dollars in maintenance and fuel costs, annually.
Disclaiming that the approval by the National Assembly was not sought before acquiring the jet, Onanuga said “the Nigerian Senate’s security and intelligence committee recommended replacing the ageing aircraft in the presidential fleet to reduce downtime and operational expenses”, a claim that does not align with earlier reports from the Nigerian Senate.
DAILY POST recalls that the Senate President Godswill Akpabio on June 27, declared that the upper chamber did not receive any request for the purchase of new aircraft for the president.
Speaking on the matter after a closed-door meeting, Akpabio said, “I have never had that correspondence to approve the purchase of a plane. We care about the President, we care about Nigerians.
“We will approve things that will benefit the people. There is nothing before us”.
Similarly the Senate leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) said, “There is no such request, if the request comes, not only the Senate will debate it, we are 469 here. So this is the handiwork of the fifth columnist and propagandists.”
DAILY POST reports that there was no parliamentary debate prior to the arrival of the exotic presidential jet.
Although the presidency deliberately omitted the price of the jet, it was gathered that the Nigerian government spent over $100 million (N159 billion) to acquire the Airbus A330.
This is coming amid the ravaging economic downturn that has relatively made feeding difficult for millions of citizens.
Recall that Nigerians had earlier in the month staged a 10-day nationwide protest over hunger.
The untoward hardship was birthed by some unfavorable policies of the President Tinubu-led administration, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy which was announced on May 29, 2023.
Meanwhile, concerned citizens have accused the government over the procurement of the jet, stating that the plight of the citizens should have been weightier.
Activist lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, an activist lawyer, accused President Tinubu of acting like former Military Head of State, Sani Abacha pro max within one year of assuming power.
Taking to his Facebook page, the lawyer wrote: “Critics don’t make good leaders. If in doubt, just look at Tinubu. The guy is acting like a Sani Abacha pro max just under one year. A hypocrite that can’t take what he gives.
“Just got back to Abuja from Lagos and saw Tinubu’s outrageously huge presidential jet.”
On his part, Omoyele Sowore knocked Tinubu’s government for procuring a Presidential jet and a bullet proof vehicle within one year in office despite the failure to tackle the economic crisis bedeviling Nigerians.
According to him, leaders in Nigeria are only concerned about meeting their personal desires and not what the citizens were going through.
In a series of posts on his X page, the activist cum politician, who was one of the key organizers of the just concluded EndBadGovernance protests noted: “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu said one year isn’t enough for Nigerians to enjoy a better country but look at what he bought for himself in just one year.
“Yacht, jet, Bulletproof Escalade, mansion for VP #RevolutionNow.
“Day of fun at the expense of suffering Nigerians, @officialABAT jumbo luxury Presidential Jet arrives Nice, France. #France #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria #FearlessInOctober #RevolutionNow
“The only thing that makes these thieving rulers in Nigeria happy is when they fulfil their personal desires; they don’t care about the people.
“It is the time for the people to bond and take them head-on. #FearlessInOctober #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria 2.0.”
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