Tinubu insensitive for going ahead with presidential jet deal despite economic hardship – Obi

Candidate of the Labour Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has said the Federal Government going ahead with the presidential jet deal shows insensitivity by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

A court in Paris, France, has ordered the seizureof three jets belonging to the Nigerian government over a dispute involving an arbitration award in favour of ZhongshanFucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd., a Chinese firm.

The court ruled that the Chinese firm should use the three jets at the Paris-Le Bourget and Basel-Mulhouse international airports “as security for its claim of EUR 74,459,221”.

However, the presidency on Thursday accused the Chinese firm of using “unorthodox and subterfuge” means to take away Nigeria’s offshore assets.

Speaking on the matter, Obi, in a statement by Yunusa Tanko, his campaign spokesperson, said the seizure of three presidential jets by a French court is an “international embarrassment” to the country.

The former Anambra governor stressed that the seizure of presidential jets exposed the federal government’s disregard for the rule of law and failure of leadership.

He asked that the federal government should explain the circumstances surrounding the jet seizure.

“The trending international news on the seizure of three jets belonging to Nigeria’s presidential fleet is yet another of many embarrassing things exposing our failed leadership and our attitude to the rule of law even in a democracy,” the statement reads.

“It has also exposed multiple dimensions to our leadership failure and our insensitivity to the plight of the growing poor class in our midst.

“The fact that the federal government went ahead with the jet deal despite the cacophonous cry against the purchase of a presidential jet at this time when the people are going through a horrifying economic hardship shows the insensitivity of this administration.

“Added to it is the embarrassing aspect of our country’s presidential jets being held for contractual breaches arising from yet another dimension of inadequate leadership tidiness.

“I have been loud in my demand over time that the government at all levels should be accountable to the people, meaning that they must be very transparent in all their dealings.

“Until a court in France prohibits Nigeria from moving or selling these three jets, Nigerians have no iota of information about both the buying and selling of these aircraft.

“It has been done in secrecy. Federal government property, which belongs to the people, is being managed as a personal family asset.

“Paying as much as $100 million for a presidential jet for a country that is the poverty capital of the world and has more out-of-school children with over 40% food inflation is the height of concern for the people’s feelings.

“This incident has also opened up an aspect of indiscipline that is copiously embedded in our country, which is the abuse and disrespect for the rule of law.

“Here are questions begging for answers: To what extent did the Ogun government follow its agreement with the Chinese firm?

“After the UK court ruling that prohibited some Nigerian buildings in Liverpool, what did both Ogun state and the federal government do before the French court action?

“I would like to, therefore, challenge the federal government to come clean and transparent on this matter and tell Nigerians how we got to this latest international mess.”