THISDAY Report: Why Nigeria Needs a New Presidential Plane

Nigeria, not President Bola Tinubu, needs a private presidential jet for several reasons, including the fact that the current plane used by the president was purchased during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration and has been used by four other Nigerian leaders, THISDAY reports.

There has been controversy surrounding the proposed purchase of a new presidential jet due to problems the plane has encountered on flights to Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands and South Africa.

However, THISDAY can say that apart from the fact that the presidential jet of any country remains, in a sense, the country’s calling card on the international stage, for the leaders of all modern democracies, a good presidential fleet also serves as an impetus for sound international action.

The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence recently asked the Federal Government to purchase two new aircraft for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashima Shettima.

The report of the commission of inquiry into the status of the aircraft of the presidential air fleet emphasized that it was in the best interest of the country to purchase the aircraft in order to avoid a situation that could lead to a national crisis.

In May, the commission received a mandate from the lower house of the National Assembly to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the presidential fleet’s aircraft to determine their airworthiness and technical condition.

The task was undertaken at the request of the Chairwoman of the House of Representatives National Security and Intelligence Committee, Satomi Ahmed.

This led to a heated debate on the House floor, with some lawmakers suggesting the president should travel by commercial flight or by land.

The Senate is also said to have given its approval, with the Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Shehu Buba Umar, supporting the lower committee’s recommendation.

The decision to purchase the plane sparked a nationwide debate recently, with some Nigerians saying it was not the right time to be thinking about investing in a new presidential jet.

However, many people argue that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of deciding not to purchase an airplane.

“The thing is that people confuse the national plane with a private plane. That’s far from the truth.

The presidential aircraft is Nigeria’s brand in the world and can support a strong foreign policy and global engagement.

The plane is not Tinubu’s private plane, it is a plane for Nigeria.

“The leaders of most modern democracies have their own jets or a solid national carrier that provides a fleet for the president, like British Airways does. We don’t have a solid national carrier.

“So the presidential jet is what we have been using for 25 years of democracy to promote our return to the world. Despite the recent economic turmoil that has been happening periodically, we should not lose sight of why Nigeria needs a presidential jet,” the expert told THISDAY on condition of anonymity.

For the record, the Boeing 737 Business Jet (BBJ) was purchased during the Obasanjo administration for $43 million and has since become a source of financial burden to the country due to its age and excessive use.

According to sources, the ongoing maintenance of the nearly 25-year-old plane has become a drain on public funds, costing several million dollars at a time when the economy is also facing serious challenges.

For example, towards the end of the Buhari government’s term, he took the same aircraft abroad for a detailed technical inspection in preparation for the inauguration of his successor, but this was not enough to restore the aircraft to good working order.

“After the failed rule of Sani Abacha, former President Olusegun Obasanjo restored Nigeria’s global standing by purchasing a new Boeing BBJ business jet, which has allowed us to restore Nigeria’s global standing.

“After eight years, this aircraft has continued to be used by four successive presidents: Umar Yar’ Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari and now Boli Tinubu.

“It’s time to change this for both security and national security reasons. The other day, the vice president of Malawi died in a plane crash, an aging fleet. We can’t wish that on our leaders. If, God forbid, we lose a leader in such circumstances, it will hit Nigeria in a bad way.

“There will be battles and growing instability, and such an incident will have consequences for national security.

“After so many years, the most appropriate thing for the National Assembly to do is to pass a law and allocate an appropriate budget for an appropriate and suitable presidential plane,” the expert added.

THISDAY further found that apart from a one-time bulk payment, there could be other creative ways to ensure that this purchase does not negatively impact the state coffers, given the arguments in some quarters about the state of the economy.

The expert said, “There are many ways to do this in a cost-effective manner. You can do it through long-term leases that will have periodic payments, through engine programs, and insurance that will ensure that the aircraft parts are properly insured and paid for by the insurers. So there are many ways to do it. Sometimes it is cost-effective.

“We also have enough central bankers and corporate finance gurus who support this, so it’s not an eye-popping amount.

“So, apart from the current economic challenges, we should not lose sight of the jet for Nigeria. It is not for President Tinubu, personally. It is for Nigeria. The last one, currently in use, was bought by former President Obasanjo. We need another one at this point.”

Emmanuel Addeh