Obi carpets Borno Speaker for demanding new aircraft for VP Shettima

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi has rubbished a recent call by the Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, demanding that the Nigerian government should buy a new private jet for vice president Kashim Shettima.

Lawan made the call following an incident on October 25 at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, the United States, where a strange object reportedly hit Shettima’s jet, forcing him to cancel his trip to the 2024 Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa.

While addressing newsmen last Sunday, Lawan had called the government to immediately purchase a new private jet for the VP as his life was in danger due to the old and faulty presidential aircraft.

“There is an urgent need to acquire a new aircraft to Senator Kashim Shettima so as to avoid these recurrences of air mishaps,” he had said.

However, in a statement on Tuesday, Obi described the demand as not only disturbing but insensitive considering the prevailing economic situation in the country.

The former Anambra governor who bared his mind on his verified X handle @PeterObi, expressed his dismay that while Nigerians were facing untold hardship at this moment, government officials would be making such outlandish demands.

“I just read a disturbing comment in the media space attributed to one of the supposed political leaders in the country that the life of the Vice President is in danger because of the faults recorded in his official aircraft,” he wrote.

“The leader went further to urge the Federal Government to purchase a new aircraft for the Vice President. In making such a remark now, the speaker is insensitive and obviously unconcerned about the prevailing economic situation in the country.

“That Nigerians are facing untold hardship at this moment is no secret. Such a provoking call is coming from a person who probably is oblivious of the fact that Nigeria, at present, has continued to manifest every traits of a failed state.”

The LP chieftain wondered why some leaders in the country would only be after their personal comfort and being consumed by selfish desires for needless luxury at the expense of the people.

He reiterated that committed leaders should be concerned about Nigeria’s position as one of the eleven worst-governed African nations in the last 10 years and among the 20 most hungry nations in the world, with a crashing per capita, frequent collapse of the national electricity grid, crumbling businesses, among others.

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“We are today among one of the eleven worst-governed African nations in the last 10 years. We are also among the 20 most hungry nations in the world, with our people facing worsening mass poverty, extreme hunger and starvation,” he continued.

“Our nation remains the poverty capital of the world, with our per capita income crashing further from $1700 in 2023 to $1109 this year. Are these not the issues that should be prioritized by committed leaders?

“Our national electricity grid has so far collapsed 8 times this year alone and 105 times in the last ten years, plunging our small businesses into great losses and households into darkness.

“In the past 15 months, several businesses have closed down or become distressed due to the harsh economic environment in the country.

“Are these not the issues that should preoccupy us as leaders, rather than being consumed by our selfish desires for needless luxury at the expense of the people we are called to serve?

“What does Nigeria’s Vice President need a new jet for, and what value are all Presidential and Vice Presidential trips adding to our present situation?

“It was not until 2014 that Indonesia, with sustainable economic growth of over 6% annually for the past 10 years, adding about 50% to both her GDP and GDP per capita, decide to buy a Presidential jet, used by both the President and Vice President.

“The Vice President travels mostly in the country’s national airline, Garuda Indonesia.

“And since we have recently undeservedly bought one, it should be used on essential, inevitable trips of the President and Vice President.

“I appeal to the President, Vice President, and our public office holders that our present precarious situation calls only for minimal and highly contributory inevitable travels.

“It is time to sit down and find solutions to our litany of challenges for the wellbeing of the people and the development of our country.

“Nigeria will rise again if the leadership can commit to selfless service. A New Nigeria is possible if we can get our priorities right,” he concluded.

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