FG’s Plan To Procure New Jet For Tinubu, Shettima Extremely Insensitive —Peter Obi

THE Presidential can­didate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, yesterday, faulted the moves by the Federal Gov­ernment to acquire new air­craft for the use of President Bola Tinubu and his deputy, Kashim Shettima.

It should be recalled that the House of Representa­tives Committee on National Security and Intelligence last Friday asked the Federal Government to purchase new aircraft for Tinubu and Shettima.

However, citing the cur­rent economic hardship bedeviling the nation, Obi said the move demonstrates the government’s “extreme insensitivity to citizens’ struggles”.

In a series of posts on his official X handle on Monday, Obi noted that with the rising insecurity, poverty, hunger and homelessness in the country, the move high­lighted sharp disconnect between the government and the people.

He described the decision as unacceptable, adding that the situation in the country demands a more compas­sionate use of resources, prioritizing citizens’ wel­fare.

He wrote, “It’s on record that our presidential jets have an average age of 12 years, purchased when most Nigerians could afford basic necessities. Now, as our country faces significant challenges, including a high debt profile, our citizens are in even greater need.

“Instead of adding to our luxuries, we should be fo­cused on alleviating their suffering and finding solu­tions to their problems. For long, our bad leadership has made our priorities, as leaders, to be at variance to the needs of society, which is why we are headed now south, as a nation.

“To elucidate further, de­spite dropping down to the fourth-largest economy in Africa, with a GDP of $252 billion and a per capita in­come of $1,080, with huge debt burdens and borrow­ing to service debts, yet, we are spending $15 million for our Vice President’s residence, while the USA, the world’s largest economy with a GDP of $25 trillion, about 100 times our GDP, and a per capita income of $80,000, about 80 times ours, still houses their Vice President in Number 1 Ob­servatory Circle, a house built over 100 years ago, and whose value is obvi­ously less than the $15 mil­lion we are spending on our VP’s residence.

“A reputable real estate company, actually, reports that the US Vice President’s Official Residence is valued at about $7.5 million today.

“It’s, therefore, time to stop this impunity, insen­sitivity, and shamelessness and refocus on the needs of our people. We must priori­tize education, healthcare, and lifting our citizens out of poverty.”