Federal Government Bought Refurbished Jet For Tinubu, Says Presidency

Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga on Sunday night clarified that the Federal government did not purchase a new official jet for Tinubu, but rather a refurbished one.

“It’s not President Tinubu’s plane; it belongs to the people of Nigeria, it is our property,” Onanuga stated during the Sunday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-economic program on Channels Television.

He noted that several jets in the presidential fleet, including a 19-year-old Boeing B737-700 acquired under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, are in poor condition and their maintenance costs are exorbitant.

Instead of spending a significant amount on maintaining the older aircraft, the President sought the National Assembly’s approval for a refurbished jet that is still in good condition.

Onanuga explained that the refurbished Airbus A330 will help reduce Nigeria’s high maintenance expenses associated with servicing the older planes. He emphasized that Nigerians should prioritize the President’s safety, reiterating that the newly acquired aircraft is state property and not for Tinubu’s personal use.

He added that the jet will remain in Nigeria for the next president and will not accompany Tinubu upon leaving office.

“The president did not buy a new jet; what he has is a refurbished jet—it has been used by someone else before, but it is a much newer model than the one President Buhari used,” Onanuga said. He contrasted it with the aircraft used by Buhari, which was bought by Obasanjo nearly 20 years ago.

Onanuga recalled a recent incident where the presidential plane experienced issues during a trip to Saudi Arabia, forcing the President to return via a chartered flight to the Netherlands.

“People should prioritize the safety of the president. I’m not sure anyone wishes for our president to face an in-flight disaster. We want him safe so he can hand over to his successor,” he remarked.

Despite the Presidency’s defense of the decision to acquire the refurbished Airbus A330, many Nigerians and some of Tinubu’s rivals from the 2023 election have criticized the move, arguing that it shows a lack of sensitivity to the struggles of citizens facing rising food inflation and soaring energy prices over the past year.

Concerns about the state of the Presidential Air Fleet have been growing. In May, a malfunctioning jet prevented Vice President Kashim Shettima from attending the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit. Additionally, a presidential aircraft, the Falcon 900B, was put up for sale last December, with the Nigerian Air Force inviting bids for its purchase.