PeakNews Online
Abuja, Nigeria – August 19, 2024: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday departed Abuja for Paris aboard a newly acquired Airbus A330, which has replaced the aging Boeing B737-700 (BBJ) that had served the presidency for nearly two decades.
The transition to the new aircraft has sparked discussions regarding its procurement process and cost-effectiveness.
The decision to replace the 19-year-old jet was influenced by an investigative hearing conducted by Nigeria’s parliament, which raised concerns about the safety and cost efficiency of the older plane. According to the Senate’s security and intelligence committee, the aging Boeing had malfunctioned during a trip to Saudi Arabia, prompting recommendations for its replacement.
In a statement, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, emphasized that the new Airbus A330 would result in significant savings for the nation, reducing maintenance and fuel costs by millions of dollars annually. Onanuga also noted that the plane was purchased below the market price, although he did not disclose the actual cost.
The procurement of the new jet, however, has been mired in controversy. Reports from Nigerian media outlets suggest that the National Assembly did not grant approval before the aircraft was acquired. This has raised questions about the transparency of the process.
Earlier, an online news platform reported that the Nigerian government had secured the Airbus A330 from a German bank. The aircraft was reportedly seized from an unnamed Arabian prince who had defaulted on a loan running into hundreds of millions of dollars. The deal was kept under wraps, with presidency officials declining to comment on the purchase.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio addressed the matter during a plenary session, stating that no official request for the aircraft’s purchase had been presented to the parliament. He assured that any such request, when received, would be duly considered by the National Assembly.
“The Senate is very responsible. We will look into issues that benefit the governance of the country,” Akpabio said, adding that there was no current proposal before the Senate regarding the aircraft.
The controversy deepened following reports of the seizure of three Nigerian aircraft by a Chinese firm on the order of a French court. The jets were seized amid a longstanding dispute between Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment and the Ogun State government over an industrial park project. On Friday, the Chinese firm released one of the seized jets, an Airbus A330, which was reportedly used by President Tinubu for his trip to France.
A presidential spokesperson confirmed that the new aircraft had been purchased, downplaying any controversy. The spokesperson, who preferred to remain anonymous, suggested that the acquisition might have been funded through the Service Wide Vote, which may not require direct parliamentary approval.
Lawmakers, however, have expressed their surprise at the development. Several members of the National Assembly, speaking anonymously, stated that no request for the procurement of a new presidential jet had been discussed or approved before the Assembly adjourned for recess in late July.
Despite the ongoing discussions, the actual cost of the aircraft remains undisclosed, and the process by which it was acquired continues to be a topic of debate in Nigeria’s political circles.
Joe
