By Eric Elezuo
Veteran journalist and Chairman, Ovation Media Group, Aare Dele Momodu, has exonerated Labour Party Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, on his description of the planned purchase of Presidential jets for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kasheem Shettima as insensitive and unacceptable.
The former Presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who was speaking via his social media handles, said “there’s nothing wrong with what Peter Obi said and suggested”, and called on the Tinubu-led administration to demonstrate the sacrifice he preaches by using his own jets and downsize his retinue of hangers-on during traveling.
He maintained that acquiring new aircraft at these hard times is an overindulgence, and urged Tinubu to stay away from the outlandishly flamboyant lifestyle of politicians.
He wrote: “In these hard times, there’s no compulsory reason for a country to own Presidential jets. In fact, it is an overindulgence. ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU owned private jets ever before he was declared President. He can demonstrate the SACRIFICE he preaches by downsizing and returning to them and requesting his retinue to go commercial when absolutely necessary. AIR PEACE has a fleet of Boeing 777 that can be hired for long haul flights and this will keep them in business. Trouble is our politicians are outlandishly flamboyant… There’s nothing wrong with what PETER OBI said and suggested…”
Recall that a House Committee on National Security and Intelligence had recommended new aircraft for the president and his vice. The recommendation was approved by its sister Senate Committee. The decision has since raised just among Nigerians as regards the gain at a time Nigeria is battling with serious economic downturn and outright hunger in the land.
However, a spokesperson of President Tinubu, who is the special adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, defended the planned purchase asking Nigerians if they want Tinubu to die like the former president of Iran and former Vice President of Malawi, both of whom died recently in a plane crash.
