Tinubu did not buy new jet, opted for refurbished one – Onanuga

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga clarified that President Bola Tinubu has not acquired a brand-new official jet but a refurbished one to reduce maintenance expenses.

Speaking on Inside Sources on Channels Television, Onanuga explained that this Airbus A330 is now part of Nigeria’s presidential fleet and not Tinubu’s personal asset.

Onanuga pointed out that the previous Boeing B737-700, purchased under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had aged significantly, making maintenance increasingly costly.

By switching to a more reliable, refurbished aircraft, the administration aims to prioritize cost-efficiency and ensure the safety of the head of state.

Onanuga said, “The president did not buy a new jet; what he has is a refurbished jet – it has been used by somebody else before he got it but it is a much newer model than the one President Buhari used.

“The one President Buhari used was bought by President Obasanjo some 20 years ago.

“There was a time the President went to Saudi Arabia, that plane developed some problems and the President had to leave with a chartered jet to The Netherlands.”

‘Prioritise Tinubu’s Safety’

The presidential spokesman said he spoke with the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, on the faulty plane and he said the maintenance costs because of the age of the plane were exorbitant hence the need for another plane.

“People should try to prioritise the safety of the president. I’m not sure anybody wishes our president to go and crash in the air. We want his safety so that he can hand over to whoever wants to take over from him,” Onanuga said.

While the Presidency has continued to defend Tinubu’s action to purchase the refurbished Airbus A330, the move has been criticised by many Nigerians and some of his contenders in the 2023 election, who felt the President was unfeeling to the plight of poor Nigerians grappling under the weight of unprecedented food inflation, and energy prices which have quadrupled in the last one year.

The health state of the Presidential Air Fleet has been a source of concern of late. In May, 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.