Rita Odafe
Sen Enyinnaya Abaribe
On Monday, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who represents Abia South in the National Assembly, revealed that he and his fellow lawmakers were not presented with any requests regarding the acquisition of a new presidential jet prior to its purchase.
The recent purchase of the jet has drawn significant backlash from Nigerians, who believe that the President is focusing on luxury while ignoring the economic struggles of the populace.
In defense, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga clarified that the aircraft was not brand new but rather a “refurbished jet.”
The National Assembly faced scrutiny as critics accused its members of simply approving the President’s request without proper oversight.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Senator Abaribe stated that no such request was ever submitted to the National Assembly.
He stated: “I am in the national assembly, and I can confidently tell you that nobody brought anything to the national assembly to say please approve this for the purchase of a new plane.”
“It was done without my knowledge; I never saw any document. You can ask anyone; there was nothing,” he added.
Abaribe expressed concern that the lack of a formal request from the Presidency undermines the National Assembly’s role in holding the executive accountable.
The senator remarked that the prevailing perception of National Assembly members as mere rubber stamps is troubling. He feels that lawmakers have cooperated with the executive in the hope of effecting positive change, yet have seen minimal results for the public.
Watch the Video Below;
”Nobody brought anything to the National Assembly to say please approve this for purchase of a new plane…I say it was done without my knowledge, I never saw any document.
– Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe on the purchase of a new presidential plane#PoliticsToday pic.twitter.com/Xbk43FqMii
— Channels Television (@channelstv) November 25, 2024
