Lawyer and commentator Frank Tietie recently spoke out on the matter during an interview with Arise News, adding fuel to the fire of controversy surrounding Nigeria’s presidential jets. “The President and the Vice President as we speak don’t have the kind of planes that befit their offices,” Tietie said, emphasising the present fleet’s insufficiency.
That is an issue that concerns the life of our nation's president. Additionally, it addresses the matter of our nation's security. President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima are set to receive new planes from the federal government, and Tietie's remarks arrive at a time when the proposal is being fiercely debated. Peter Obi, a former presidential contender, is among many who have condemned the action, saying it is callous in light of the country's dire economic situation.
Obi said the move showed "extreme insensitivity to citizens' struggles," bringing attention to the country's major problems, which include high inflation, a declining currency, and widespread poverty. For its part, the Tinubu government has revealed its intention to sell off three planes from the Presidential Air Fleet in an effort to cut costs. The present fleet size is ten planes, and this decision is an attempt to cut that down by getting rid of some of the jets that cost the most to maintain. As a whole, this is an effort to better manage the nation's resources and cut wasteful spending.
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