New Presidential Jet: Peter Obi blasts Tinubu

 

Emmanuel Ukudolo I Monday, June 17, 2024

 

LAGOS, Nigeria – Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 Presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi has condemned the decision of President Bola Tinubu to buy a new Presidential jet, with so many in the fleet as the height of Tinubu’s insensitivity to citizen’s struggles especially at a time that Nigeria is trending on the global media for facing its worst economic crisis, marked by high inflation, a falling currency, and widespread poverty.

Nigeria has 10 aircrafts in the Presidential fleet.

According to him, “the government’s plan to buy new presidential jets demonstrates extreme insensitivity to citizens’ struggles”.

“With rising insecurity, poverty, hunger, and homelessness, this decision highlights the disconnect between the government and the people. It is unacceptable and demands a more compassionate use of resources, prioritising citizens’ welfare”, he said.

Obi explained that it’s on record that “our presidential jets have an average age of 12 years, purchased when most Nigerians could afford basic necessities.

“Now, as our country faces significant challenges, including a high debt profile, our citizens are in even greater need. Instead of adding to our luxuries, we should be focused on alleviating their suffering and finding solutions to their problems”, he cautioned.

According to him, for long, bad leadership has made “our priorities, as leaders, to be at variance to the needs of society, which is why we are headed now south, as a nation”.

He explained that despite dropping down to the fourth-largest economy in Africa, with a GDP of $252 billion and a per capita income of $1,080, with huge debt burdens and borrowing to service debts, Nigeria is contemplating spending $15 million on Vice President’s residence.

According to him, the USA, the world’s largest economy with a GDP of $25 trillion, about 100 times our GDP and a Per capita income of $80,000, about 80 times that of Nigeria, still houses their Vice President in No. 1 Observatory Circle, a house built over 100 years ago and whose value is obviously less than $15million we are spending on our VP’s residence.

He alluded to a report by a reputable real estate company which shows that the US Vice President Official residence is valued about $7.5 million today.

He said that while Nigeria had earlier refurbished the old VP residence with $2 million, the over 100 years old US Vice President’s house has only undergone wide scale renovations twice, funded by taxpayers money; in 1993 and in 2021.

“Every new US VP is free to finance any minor refurbishing from his personal funds”, he said, adding that it is therefore time to stop this impunity, insensitivity and shamelessness and refocus on the needs of the people.

“We must priotise education, healthcare and lifting our people out of poverty. Let us work together to build a nation that truly serves its people, not just the interest of a few”, he said, calling on Nigerians to rise to the challenge and build this new Nigeria which he said is now more possible than ever before.