The Presidency has clarified that the aircraft recently acquired for President Bola Tinubu was not a brand new jet, but rather a refurbished one, contrary to popular belief.
Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, made this known while speaking on a Channels TV show, ‘Inside Sources With Laolu Akande’, at the weekend.
Onanuga explained that the refurbished Airbus A330, recently added to the Presidential Air Fleet, was acquired to replace the ageing Boeing B737-700, purchased nearly two decades ago under former President Olusegun Obasanjo. According to him, the decision to opt for the refurbished jet was driven by the escalating maintenance costs associated with older aircraft in the fleet, some of which are now in poor condition.
“It’s not President Tinubu’s plane, it belongs to the people of Nigeria, it is our property,” Onanuga emphasised. He added that some jets in the fleet, such as the 19-year-old Boeing, were becoming too expensive to maintain. “Instead of spending a bogus amount of money on aircraft maintenance, the President sought the approval of the National Assembly for a refurbished jet still in good condition.”
The newly acquired aircraft, he noted, would help Nigeria avoid the high maintenance costs that come with servicing the ageing planes.
“The president did not buy a new jet; what he has is a refurbished jet – it has been used by somebody else before he got it, but it is a much newer model than the one President Buhari used.”
He further recalled an incident where President Tinubu had to charter a jet to the Netherlands after the 20-year-old presidential plane developed problems while en route from Saudi Arabia. Onanuga said he discussed the issue with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, who confirmed that the maintenance costs of the outdated plane were exorbitant.
Onanuga also called on Nigerians to prioritise the safety of the President, stressing that the plane would serve future administrations as well. “People should try to prioritise the safety of the president. I’m not sure anybody wishes our president to go and crash in the air. We want his safety so that he can hand over to whoever wants to take over from him,” Onanuga remarked.
LEADERSHIP recalls that the purchase of another presidential jet had sparked criticisms from many Nigerians and some political opponents. Critics argued that acquiring the jet in the face of rising food inflation and soaring energy prices showed a lack of empathy for the plight of the average Nigerians.
Concerns over the health of the Presidential Air Fleet were not new. In May, a faulty jet prevented Vice President Kashim Shettima from attending the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit. Additionally, a Falcon 900B presidential aircraft was put up for sale in December, 2023, with the Nigerian Air Force inviting bids from potential buyers.
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