‘We care about the president’ – Akpabio hints NASS will approve private jet purchase
Senate president Godswill Akpabio, has hinted that the national assembly will not hesitate to approve the request of the Presidency for new jets if necessary.
Akpabio spoke on the floor of the senate on Thursday. He insisted that for now, there is no such request before the national assembly to appropriate money to buy a new jet.
President Tinubu flew in a commercial plane to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, back in April, after one of the presidential fleets in which he travelled to the Netherlands, developed a fault.
Vice president Kashim Shettima also travelled from Abuja to Ogun State in a chartered aircraft almost about the same period. Afterwards, Shettima abandoned his trip to the United States mid-air after the aircraft transporting him developed a fault.
Consequently, the national assembly constituted two committees to look at the airworthiness of the planes in the presidential fleets. The committees recommended the purchase of two aircraft for the president and his vice.
Addressing the development, Akpabio said the lawmakers care about the president and will prioritise his duties.
“We care about the president, and we care about the Nigerian people. We will approve things that will benefit the Nigerian people,” Akpabio said.
“We will approve things that would improve the living standards of the people. At the same time, we will also take cognisance of the duties of the president.
“If his vehicle is bad, we will repair the vehicle. If his plane is bad, we will approve money for the repair of the plane. So that is not an issue.
“The senate is very responsible. The national assembly is very responsible. We will look into issues that will benefit the governance of the country.
“Irrespective of anticipatory blackmail, because those people know very well that something like that might come in the future. And if it’s a necessity, the senate will look into it. But there is nothing like that before us now.”
