The Presidency has responded to criticisms of the purchase of a new presidential jet for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The presidency disclosed that Tinubu’s new jet would save Nigeria millions of dollars.
In a statement confirming a Premium Times report that President Tinubu would use the new jet to travel to France on Monday, August 19, spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said:
Many Nigerians have criticised the purchase of the presidential jet at a time when the nation is battling with hardship occasioned by Tinubu’s economic policies.
But despite concerns, sources confirmed to Premium Times that the new jet landed at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, on Sunday, August 18.
According to the presidency, the new plane aims to reduce downtime and operational expenses in the presidential fleet.
Speaking further, Onanuga added that the new plane, “Airbus A330” is spacious and is furnished with the state-of-the-art avionics, customised interior and communications system.
Read Onanugaâs tweet about Tinubu’s new plane here:
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In June, the Nigerian government was planning to purchase an Airbus A330 aircraft seized from an unnamed Arab prince and businessman who could not pay hundreds of millions of dollars he owed a German bank.
TimesNow.com.ng reported the Nigerian Senate’s security and intelligence committee recommended the replacement of the president’s jet after an investigative hearing questioned the old plane’s safety record and cost efficiency. The old plane malfunctioned during a trip to Saudi Arabia.
Earlier, TimesNow.com.ng reported that the Tinubu government announced the indefinite suspension of the Air Nigeria airline project.
Keyamo said the airline was never a Nigerian airline but instead, an attempt to impersonate a foreign airline operating in Nigeria.
