Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga clarified on Sunday that the Federal Government did not purchase a new official jet for President Bola Tinubu, contrary to rumors circulating on social media.
Speaking during Channels Television’s Inside Sources, Onanuga explained that the government acquired a refurbished jet, which he emphasized belongs to Nigeria.
Onanuga detailed the decision, pointing out that several jets in the presidential fleet, originally bought under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, are now in poor condition, with maintenance costs soaring.
Instead of continuously incurring high maintenance expenses, President Tinubu sought approval from the National Assembly for a refurbished jet in good working order.
“The president did not buy a new jet; what he has is a refurbished jet—it has been used by somebody else before he got it, but it is a much newer model than the one President Buhari used,” Onanuga stated. “The one President Buhari used was bought by President Obasanjo some 20 years ago. There was a time when the president went to Saudi Arabia, and that plane developed some problems. The President had to leave with a chartered jet to the Netherlands. It’s not President Tinubu’s plane. It belongs to the people of Nigeria. It is our property.”
According to Onanuga, the refurbished Airbus A330 will save Nigeria significant amounts in maintenance costs that were becoming unsustainable with the aging aircraft in the fleet.
The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, endorsed the decision, agreeing that the old aircraft had become too costly to maintain.
Onanuga urged Nigerians to prioritize the President’s safety, adding that the jet will serve future leaders.
“People should try to prioritise the safety of the president. I’m not sure anybody wishes our president to go and crash in the air. We want his safety so that he can hand over to whoever wants to take over from him,” he said.
The Presidency’s decision has sparked debate among Nigerians and criticism from some of the 2023 presidential candidates. Critics argue that President Tinubu’s action is insensitive to the economic struggles facing many Nigerians, who are dealing with rising food inflation and energy prices that have multiplied over the past year. Despite these critiques, the Presidency continues to defend the acquisition as a practical measure for the country.
