Rita Odafe
Opeyemi Bamidele
Senate Majority Leader Opeyemi Bamidele confirmed that there has been no formal request presented to the Senate seeking approval for the acquisition of a new presidential aircraft amidst the ongoing debate.
During a Senate session, Bamidele called out what he referred to as misinformation being circulated to the public about the Senate’s involvement in the purported purchase of new planes for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The House of Representatives had suggested the acquisition of two new presidential jets for the exclusive use of President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima, citing security concerns and the high maintenance costs of the current Presidential Air Fleet (PAF).
Lawmakers argued that the current expenses related to maintaining President Tinubu’s 19-year-old aircraft were considerable, leading to prolonged aircraft downtime and increased operational expenses.
Despite the idea put forward by the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence, there has been pushback from various stakeholders expressing worries over the proposed expenditure given the country’s prevailing economic challenges.
On another note, Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, criticized the government’s plan to procure new jets, condemning it as both insensitive and audacious.
In response, the Presidency defended the initiative by stating that safety should not be compromised by operating faulty aircraft and questioning Obi’s stance on risking the President’s life.
Reports emerged indicating the Nigerian government’s intention to include the cost of the new presidential aircraft in the forthcoming 2024 supplementary budget.
