During a debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, opposition lawmakers addressed the recent breakdown of presidential flights, suggesting that if the presidential planes are unavailable, President Bola Tinubu could opt for commercial flights.
The debate was prompted by a motion raised by Ahmad Satomi, a lawmaker from Borno State, regarding the reported breakdown of the plane used by Tinubu during a recent foreign visit. According to reports, Tinubu had to resort to a chartered commercial flight from the Netherlands to Saudi Arabia.
Expressing concern over the use of commercial chartered flights due to security implications, Satomi called for the House to summon the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Commandant of the Presidential Fleet.
During the debate, Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda and Minority Whip Ali Isa supported the idea of Tinubu considering commercial flights. Mr. Ali, a PDP lawmaker from Gombe State, even suggested that the President should be using commercial flights, a sentiment that was met with applause from the minority bench.
Chinda emphasized that there is nothing wrong with a public official using commercial flights, citing the example of the Prime Minister of the UK who uses British Airways. He also highlighted the need to revive the national carrier.
He said, “I have not seen anything wrong with a public official using commercial flight. The Prime Minister of the UK uses British Airways. We should be thinking of how to revive the national carrier.
“If we have a Presidential Fleet, we should be able to maintain them. If they need new presidential planes, the next budget is around the corner.“
However, seeing that the motion might be defeated, the Deputy Speaker, who presided over the session, ruled that the motion should be stepped down, and the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence should investigate the matter.
