Reps Express Concern As Faulty Presidential Plane Makes Tinubu Fly Private Jet

May 15, 2024

The House of Representatives has raised concerns over the status of the Presidential Air Fleet after President Bola Tinubu had to charter a private aircraft during his recent official trips to the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.

After a motion of urgent importance by a lawmaker, Ahmad Satomi, the House feared that this puts the security of the President at risk and doesn’t speak well of the country to the international community.

Channels Television reports that, this followed reports that a presidential jet developed some faults while the President was in the Netherlands in April.

The Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, in his contribution, said there was nothing wrong with a public official including the President flying commercial jets.

The motion was, however, stepped down but the relevant security committees were urged to carry out an investigation into the matter.

The health state of the Presidential Air Fleet has been source of concern of late.

Last week, a faulty presidential jet stopped Vice President Kashim Shettima from attending the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit hosted by the Corporate Council on Africa.

Last December, a presidential aircraft, Falcon 900B, was put up for sale, with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) asking interested persons to submit their bids for the purchase of the aircraft.