The federal government of President Bola Tinubu was criticised on Monday by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party for obtaining a new $100 million presidential plane without the National Assembly’s consent. Deputy Youth Leader Timothy Osadolor and PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary Ibrahim Abdullahi denounced the action as extremely insensitive, particularly in light of the severe economic hardships that Nigerians are currently experiencing. They contended that the government’s choice to buy such an ostentatious asset speaks poorly of its priorities at a time when many people are having difficulty making ends meet.
In a similar vein, Yunusa Tanko, the campaign spokeswoman for the Labour Party, voiced alarm over the President’s decision to put his own opulence ahead of Nigerians’ well-being in the face of persistent economic difficulties. He underlined that the purchase not only lacked empathy but also raised concerns about accountability and transparency, raising the possibility that this was a sign of more serious problems with government spending.
On Monday, President Tinubu travelled to France on a working visit in the recently acquired Airbus A330. The aircraft was purchased last month and is now registered with the Nigerian Air Force. It will take the place of the older Boeing B737-700(BBJ), which has been in use since the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Tanko pointed out that the current state of the economy ought to have forced the administration to refrain from making such conspicuous purchases, and he attacked the government for not include the National Assembly in the approval process. He further said that the President might have made more costly purchases, underscoring his disregard for the financial circumstances of the general populace.
Given the current economic situation and the general suffering in Nigeria, PDP Deputy Publicity Secretary Abdullahi characterised the jet purchase as an indication of the government’s misguided objectives and insensitivity. He urged Nigerians to be watchful and demand that the government answer for what he saw to be yet another instance of its disdain for the needs of the populace.
At 4:08 p.m. on Monday, the new aircraft—which has a dining area, an office, and a bedroom—took off for France from Abuja. It took a flight from France on Sunday evening and arrived in Abuja. The purchase has spurred discussion on its rationale and the transparency of its finance. It is believed that the purchase occurred after one of the Nigerian presidential jets that had been previously seized by a French court was released.
The use of Service Wide Votes for this kind of purchase has also drawn criticism from former lawmakers and civil society organisations, who question the propriety of spending big money on opulent goods in the absence of clear parliamentary control. There have been demands for increased accountability and transparency in government spending, and the National Assembly has come under fire for its part in authorising such expenses.
