The controversy over the Federal Government’s plan to purchase new planes for Nigeria’s number one and two citizens has escalated. Labour Party presidential candidate in 2023 election, Peter Obi had earlier described the move as “extreme insensitivity.”
Obi said on Monday, “At a time when our country is trending on the global media for facing its worst economic crisis, marked by high inflation, a falling currency, and widespread poverty, the government’s plan to buy new presidential jets demonstrates extreme insensitivity to citizens’ struggles.”
But in an angry rebuttal on Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Advisor on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, rhetorically asked if “Peter Obi wants the president dead.”
“Does Peter Obi want the President dead? Is that his wish? Does he want him to continue moving around in a rickety plane and die like the VP of Malawi and Iran President? Let him tell us. This is a basic thing any sane government will do. You can’t toy with your President’s welfare,” Bayo said.
Presidential Plane Need Replacement
The presidential aide argued that the current plane used by the president was bought well over 20 years ago. “The plane developed a problem the last time he traveled to Saudi Arabia. The President had to go from there to the UK on a commercial airline”.
He claimed that aviation engineering experts have advised that “the aircraft needed to be replaced.”
The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence had recently called on the FG to buy new aircraft for the president and his deputy.
“Sometimes, Peter Obi opened his mouth to make unnecessary statements,” Bayo quipped.
Cautions From The Past
In recent times, however, aircraft mishaps have led to the demise of top global leaders, including the Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash on May 11, and Malawian Vice President, Saulos Chilima who on June 10 was killed when his plane crashed in northern Malawi. Both incidents were, however, attributed to harsh weather conditions.
In the aviation industry, 20-year-old aircraft are still viable for commercial flights delivering quality and safe transportation services if properly maintained. An aviation magazine, TravelPulse, puts it this way, “While the average age of a U.S. domestic commercial airliner is 11 years old, it is not uncommon for aircraft to still be in service at 24, 25, even 30 years old“.
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