Crack in decision to sell presidential fleet

A crack in consensus within the kitchen cabinet of President Muhmmadu Buhari over how to reduce the 11 aircraft and two helicopters making up the presidential fleet of jets has been noticed, with conflicting signals emerging from the team.

An impeccable source said a new twist to the earlier directive to the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) to begin the process of selling the aircraft in batches were noticed after a heated argument bordering the approach, which will have two aircraft out of the lot if the plan is strictly executed.

Media Adviser to Buhari, Garba Shehu, had in a statement on October 4 confirmed that two of the aircraft had been approved by the presidency for immediate sale, adding that the directive was in line with the programme of his boss to reduce costs of governance.

But barely a week after an apparent disagreement, change in position was noticed among the officials, who had earlier advised on the sale pattern.

The source told Ripples Nigeria that if the planned sale were to be carried out, there would be no aircraft for offices of the Vice President, the Senate President, Speaker of the House as well as former heads of state, who are entitled to fly separate jests each time they are on official assignments.

He said: “Besides, even the president’s wife is entitled to an aircraft, though Buhari had said the office of the first lady is abolished, she still travels on privileged status, and therefore the need to avoid creating unwarranted scarcity of aircraft has made the Presidency to reconsider not selling the aircraft as planned.

“But about eight of jets won’t be sold for now because even the Nigerian Air Force needs jets.

“Mind you, the president has not jettisoned the idea of re-establishing the national carrier and it is being said that two of the jets could be for the take off of the carrier as there is a market survey showing that cost of aircraft may double what is today in the next year when the national carrier is expected to take off.”

Of the 11 aircraft in the fleet, only the Boeing Business Jet (Boeing 737-800 or Air Force One), is for the president’s exclusive use.

By Emma Eke.

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