Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has explained that the new Airbus A330 recently added to the presidential fleet was refurbished and is not new, contrary to media reports.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga clarified the background of reports that the President acquired a new official jet in the face of the country’s current economic hardships.
Onanuga said the president’s safety was being endangered by the age B737-700, which was 19 years old.
“It’s not President Tinubu’s plane; it belongs to the people of Nigeria; it is our property,” Onanuga said in a Sunday interview monitored on Channels Television.
Onanuga noted that some aircraft in the presidential fleet, including the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700 acquired by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, are in poor condition and have high maintenance costs.
According to him, the President sought the National Assembly’s approval for a refurbished plane that remains in good condition, instead of spending a large sum on maintaining older aircraft.
Emphasizing that the newly acquired aircraft belongs to Nigeria and not to President Tinubu personally, Onanuga urged citizens to prioritize the President’s safety.
He also mentioned that Tinubu would not take the newly acquired jet with him when he leaves office. Onanuga added that the jet would also benefit Tinubu’s successor.
“The President did not buy a new jet; what he has is a refurbished jet. It has been used by someone else before he obtained it, but it is a much newer model than the one President Buhari used,” he explained.
“The jet used by President Buhari was purchased by President Obasanjo around 20 years ago.”
Onanuga recounted an incident when the President travelled to Saudi Arabia and encountered issues with the plane, necessitating a chartered jet to The Netherlands for his return.
He stated that he discussed the faulty plane with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, highlighting that the maintenance costs due to the plane’s age were prohibitively high, which justified the need for a new plane.
“People should prioritize the safety of the President. I’m not sure anyone wishes for our President to experience an in-flight emergency. We want him to be safe so he can hand over to whoever takes over from him,” Onanuga concluded.
