The Tinubu administration recently announced the purchase of a new Airbus A330 to replace the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700 that had been in use since the time of Obasanjo.
Former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, has described as a failure in leadership the decision of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to acquire a new presidential jet despite the prevalent hunger and hardship facing millions of Nigerians. He made this known while appearing as a guest on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television on Friday, August 30, 2024. There is no glamour in saying your people are going through hard times; it is a failure of your leadership. If I am the head of a family, I want my family to have everything. I don’t want life to be difficult for them,” he said
This comes barely one week after the presidency announced the purchase of a new Airbus A330 to replace the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700 which was bought during the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
According to the presidency, the need to buy a new jet arose after Tinubu was forced to use a commercial plane after the presidential jet developed a fault during his trip to Rotterdam in the Netherlands in May.
The President, who was billed to connect Saudi Arabia from Holland, travelled to the Arab country via a chartered plane as his main jet had been taken for maintenance.
However, Duke insisted that acquiring a new jet when the economy was going through turbulence was a sign of failure by the government.
“There is no glamour in saying your people are going through hard times. It’s a failure of your leadership. If I’m the head of a family, I want my family to have everything. I don’t want life to be difficult for them.
“If life is difficult then I feel I’ve failed to provide for them or do the things I ought to have done. I’d ask him (Tinubu) to see the Nigerian nation as his family. What is good for his family is good for the nation.
“Buying a new aircraft or yacht or living large is a failure. You can’t have kids who are hungry and you are living lavishly, going to parties and wearing the biggest agbada,” the former governor said.
Author: James Osondu
Sofia Bureau Chief- Bulgaria
osonduj@hotmail.com
