·President's $355.5m planes fly into controversy
·Experts fault House Committee on 'old fleet', moves to buy two new aircraft
·Opponents of plan endangering Nigeria's leader's life - MURIC
The Presidential Air Fleet (PAF) flew into controversy after the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence demanded the procurement of two new aircraft for the fleet, citing the old age of the planes there.
The biggest plane in the fleet was bought in 2005 (19 years ago) during the Obasanjo administration.
Aircraft in PAF fly the President, Vice President and principal officers of the National Assembly, including the Senate President and Speaker of the House of representatives.
But the PAF ran into 'stormy weather' sometime in 2020 when it was reported that one of the planes in the fleet flew one of the daughters of then President Muhammadu Buhari from Abuja to Bauchi for a function.
The fleet has also been in controversy over the necessity amid the humongous cost of the aircraft and maintenance juxtaposed against Nigeria's economic realities.
Many rich countries across the world don't have presidential fleet as their leaders made their trips by the far cheaper commercial airlines.
Meanwhile, a faith-based group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), defending the plan to buy new planes for the fleet, called the aircraft currently in PAF 'flying Molue buses', saying opponents of the move to procure new aircraft are endangering President Bola Tinubu's life'.
'Molue' is a rickety Mercedes Benz 911 bus previously used for mass transportation in Lagos and term often used derisively to describe old and dilapidated items.
"The old jets can be sold to reduce the cost of new ones. We have had enough of President and Vice President flying 'Molue' buses", MURIC said.
The PAF, according to a former Director at The Presidency, has ten aircraft but some sources put the number at 12, comprising six planes and six helicopters.
According to him, they include two Falcon 7X jet, two Falcon 900 jets, Gulfstream 550, one Boeing 737 BBJ (Nigerian Air Force 001 or Eagle One) and Gulfstream IVSP.
Others are Gulfstream V, Cessna Citation 2 and Hawk Siddley 125-800 jet.
Each of the two Falcon 7X jets, the former Director said, purchased in 2010, cost $51.1m, while the Gulfstream 550 cost $53.3m.
"However, airline CEOs put the average price of Falcon 900 at $35m, Gulfstream IVSP at $40m, Gulfstream V at $45m, Boeing 737 BBJ at $58m, Cessna Citation at $7m and Hawker Siddley 125-800 at $15m", he added.
Report
The House of Representatives Committee, in a report released after its technical subcommittee assessed the status and airworthiness of the PAF, recommended the procurement of two new aircraft.
The report came after President Tinubu had to continue his journey in a commercial plane recently when two presidential jets broke down simultaneously.
Also on May 7, 2024, Vice President Kazim Shettima had to shelve a trip to the United States (US) for the US-Africa Business Summit when the presidential jet he was scheduled to travel in developed a fault one hour after take-off.
What does the House Committee report say?
"The Committee strongly believes that, given the fragile structure of the Nigerian federation and the serious consequences of any potential mishap due to technical or operational inadequacies of the Presidential Air Fleet, it is in the country's best interest to procure two additional aircraft as recommended", it points out.
"This measure will also be cost-efficient in the long term, besides offering a suitable, comfortable, and safe means of transport that befits the status and responsibilities of the offices of the President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."
The report details that the presidential fleet consists of six aircraft: a Boeing 737, a Gulfstream G550, a Gulfstream GV, two Falcon 7Xs, and a Challenger CL605. At the time of the committee's hearing, three of these aircraft were non-operational.
Additionally, the fleet includes six helicopters: two Agusta 139s and four Agusta 189s.
According to Air Vice Marshal Olayinka Oyesola, PAF Commander, both Agusta 139s are currently unserviceable.
The Committee's findings reveal that the President's Boeing 737, which is 19 years old, is unserviceable and undergoing annual maintenance.
Meanwhile, the 13-year-old Gulfstream G550 is in good condition.
The Gulfstream GV, aged 23 years, is also unserviceable.
Of the two Falcon 7Xs, one is operational while the other is not.
The 12-year-old Challenger CL605 is serviceable.
The unserviceable Agusta 139 helicopters are 17 and 18 years old respectively.
The Committee recommends that maintaining older aircraft is costly, resulting in extended downtime and higher operational expenses for the fleet. Consequently, it suggests that purchasing new aircraft for the nation's top leaders would be the most cost-effective solution.
It's total waste of taxpayers' money - Ojikutu
Speaking to Sunday Vanguard, an aviation expert labeled the House Committee's proposal to purchase new aircraft for the presidential fleet as wasteful and insensitive, given the country's current economic challenges in the country.
Chief Executive Officer of Centurion Aviation Security and Safety Consult, Group Captain John Ojikutu (rtd), criticized the move, arguing that the existing aircraft are serviceable.
"Some of these aircraft were bought during the tenure of President Olusegun Obasanjo, about 19 years ago", Ojikutu said.
"It's not about the age or hours flown but adherence to periodic maintenance whether flying or not. Most of these aircraft do not have as many hours in ten years as commercial airlines' aircraft".
He highlighted the excessive size of the current fleet.
"Ten aircraft in the Presidential Fleet is a waste and a room for institutional corruption. I remember well during the IBB era, Nigeria Airways would quickly convert its B737 into a presidential plane for any of his journeys within and outside the country", the expert said.
Ojikutu pointed out the political motivations behind maintaining such a large fleet, saying: "When these aircraft were bought, they planned them to include the National Assembly (NASS) Heads, and that is why you hear the NASS members supporting the presidential moves to buy rather than cost the repairs.
"When Buhari wanted to reduce the number, there was noise, as we are hearing now, and nothing came out of it."
'We must downsize presidential fleet'
Advocating a significant reduction in the fleet size, Ojikutu proposed that it should be limited to three aircraft.
"To get out of the wasteful spending, the fleet must be reduced to three. NASS members should arrange their movement with any designated Flag Carrier. Some Presidents fly in their national or Flag Carriers", the aviation expert advised.
He emphasized the responsibility of elected officials to serve the people rather than oppress them.
In-depth audit of presidential fleet maintenance needed - Olumide, aviation expert
Another aviation expert, Olumide Ohunayo, asked President Bola Tinubu to initiate an in-depth audit and investigation into the funds allocated for the maintenance of the presidential fleet.
"President Tinubu should suspend the idea of getting two new aircraft", Ohunayo, who is the General Secretary of Aviation Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), said.
"He should instigate a proper audit of the maintenance of the aircraft within The Presidency. "He should know what's messing with the aircraft. He should know what other things they are using the presidential aircraft for. There is so much that needs to be investigated.
"You cannot just wake up and say you want to go and buy another one when you have yet to resolve or even find out why or what happened and how to make sure it does not happen again.
"There shouldn't be a rush in trying to get new planes; rather there should be an internal audit to investigate what went wrong".
Suspicion
While Ohunayo expressed his support for ensuring that the President travels in well-maintained aircraft, he emphasized the need for transparency and accountability given the claim that the fleet is nearly grounded.
"We need the president to travel in good aircraft; that I support. But, in a situation where we are now, when you have a fleet that is nearly grounded, it shows that something is wrong with the system and the processes in place for the management of the fleet".
Concerns
Ohunayo raised concerns about the alleged disappearance of maintenance funds, which allegedly left the aircraft in a state of disrepair.
The General Secretary highlighted the House Committee's decision to approve new aircraft without first examining past expenditures as an example of insensitivity.
"There is a systemic problem whereby all the money budgeted for maintenance has disappeared for the aircraft to have disappointed the President at a critical time", he said.
"For the House Committee alone to say we are approving new aircraft for the President, let us start looking at what happened in the past, it shows insensitivity".
International Standards
Ohunayo compared the Nigerian presidential aircraft to those of other countries, noting that age alone should not determine air worthiness or lack of it.
According to him, aircraft in other countries are over 20 years old and still operational.
"A 13-year-old aircraft is not old. A 19-year-old aircraft is not too old. Moreover, some aircraft are 20 years old and they are on schedule run and they are still flying today, but these 13-year-old aircraft for the President do not fly every day, maybe once or twice a month," he argued.
Stop making mockery of Nigerians - ACF
The northern influential group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), also joined the controversy, expressing deep dissatisfaction over the proposal to acquire two new planes for the presidential fleet.
ACF also called it a blatant disregard for the suffering of Nigerians.
It said through the spokesperson, Professor Tukur Baba: "This government is very cynical.
They claim to understand that people are suffering, yet they prioritize the President's comfort over the plight of the populace.
"This sentiment was echoed by the President of the Senate, who dismissed our protests against purchasing new vehicles for National Assembly members and went ahead with the plan anyway.
"I think Nigerians should do something rather than merely question why these leaders behave this way. "Why are they embarking on massive expenditures for their comfort? This isn't just about new planes in the fleet; it's a pattern.
"From building luxurious presidential lodges to grand infrastructure projects like the Calabar-Lagos Coastal Highway, it's clear they lack concrete plans to improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians."
Religious tone/'flying Molue buses'
The controversy took a religious coloration when a Muslim activist group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), spoke of "evil intention on the move to acquire new aircraft for the presidential fleet", calling the planes currently in the fleet "flying Molue buses".
The group took up Mr Peter Obi, who earlier criticized the move to enlarge the presidential fleet, saying the interest of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections is not the improvement of Nigeria's economic situation or the interest of the common man but to bring disaster to The Presidency.
Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, who spoke for the group, said: "The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, chided the Federal Government (FG) for planning to purchase new aircraft for The Presidency.
"We have no iota of doubt that Peter Obi is shedding crocodile tears. His interest is not the improvement of Nigeria's economic situation or that of the common man but to bring disaster to The Presidency. Peter Obi nurses evil intentions.
"Peter Obi's body language since the declaration of the results of the 2023 presidential election has exposed him as a bitter politician and a bad loser who cannot come to terms with the reality of his defeat. Obi is a Trumpist. He will go to any length to bring disaster to his perceived political enemies.
"Little wonder, therefore, that Obi is yet to condemn his supporters for calling for a military coup months after their treasonable utterances.
"As far as Obi and other irrational critics are concerned, they wish what happened to the Iranian President Raisi recently and the Malawian vice president last week should happen in Nigeria. God forbid!
"How many times do we have to drum it to the ears of this far right, ultra nationalist opposition cartel that the presidential jets are already worn out? They have become rickety, risky and unserviceable. They have broken down so many times during trips.
"For instance, President Tinubu had to continue his journey on a commercial plane very recently after two presidential jets broke down simultaneously.
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"Also on 7th May, 2024, Vice President Kazim Shettima had to shelve a trip to the United States for the US-Africa Business Summit when the presidential jet developed a fault one hour after take-off.
"Is this not scary enough? What does Peter Obi and his co-travellers want? Yet we have no scintilla of doubt that this set of desperate opposition will be the first to send hypocritical condolence messages if their serpentine wishes for the president or his vice become fait accompli. But it is the duty of patriotic and compos mentis Nigerians to ensure that no such disaster occurs.
"In a press statement issued on Friday, 14th June, 2024, MURIC suggested that The Presidency should suspend all foreign trips until new aircraft are provided. Some calamities are avoidable if only homo sapiens are visionary and pragmatic. Yet it is the citizens who will benefit more if new aircrafts are acquired for the presidency, if only they know.
"With new presidential jets, humongous economic benefits await Nigerians as the president and his vice will be able to honour international obligations and events thereby attracting confidence in the safety of investments in Nigeria.
"It is noteworthy that Obasanjo was able to travel to 97 countries during his tenure because the presidential planes were airworthy at the time. His trips fetched Nigeria the famous debt relief of the Paris Club worth $18 billion and an overall reduction of Nigeria's debt stock by $30 billion. The deal was completed on April 21, 2006 when Nigeria made its final payment and the books were cleared of any Paris Club debt.
"Former President Muhammadu Buhari visited 43 countries in his eight years as president. On the 2015 US trip alone, he attracted N2.7 trillion investments to Nigeria.
"In like manner, President Tinubu secured a fresh $250 million investment in Nigeria and another $100 million in a waste-to-wealth industrial facility in Lagos State during his recent trip to the Hague in May 2024. It is a globalized world. We cannot do it alone.
"That is why we cannot afford to lock up our leaders and restrict their movements to the nation's borders as a result of lacking airworthy jets. They must go out to meet the world. Interpersonal interactions are by far more effective and more result-oriented than interaction via remote telephone discussions. We must not lock up Nigeria because we have economic problems. Interaction with the international community is vital for solving those problems and for general technological breakthrough.
"We must also not assume that the jets are for the president and his vice alone. They are used even by the least expected and the lowest of our citizenry, particularly in times of crisis. The Presidency uses those aircraft to fetch important stakeholders from place to place to resolve urgent national issues.
"The question is what kind of people are we? Are we the type of people who want their leaders to perish in plane crashes or the kind that appreciate their leaders' efforts as they travel in and outside the country seeking solutions to our country's problems? The choice is ours. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said 'You will get the type of leaders you deserve'.
"The National Assembly (NASS) should ignore the ranting of Peter Obi and his co-travelers. Nigeria should go ahead and buy new presidential jets to avoid national calamity. The old jets can be sold to reduce the cost of new ones. We have had enough of President and Vice President flying in'Molue' buses."
