Reps to put up technical committee to address faulty Presidential aircraft

The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence has decided to form a technical committee to address the ongoing issues with the presidential aircraft experiencing frequent malfunctions.

On Monday, May 20, 2024, the committee held a private meeting at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja with Air Vice Marshal Olayinka Olusola, who is in charge of the Presidential Air fleet.

The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the recent incidents involving President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima having to use a chartered plane due to problems with the official aircraft.

In April, President Tinubu had to charter a plane from the Netherlands to Saudi Arabia for the World Economic Forum, and more recently, Vice President Shettima had to cancel his trip to represent President Tinubu at the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit in the United States because of an aircraft malfunction.

During a heated discussion prompted by the Chairman of the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Ahmad Satomi, lawmakers unanimously agreed to summon the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Commander of the presidential fleet to account for repeated aircraft malfunctions despite substantial budget allocations for maintenance.

House Minority Whip, Isa, urged the President and Vice President to conduct road trips to assess the state of infrastructure nationwide.

Addressing the press following the closed-door meeting, Satomi announced the formation of a technical committee tasked with collaborating with officials from the presidential air fleet to reach a resolution.

The committee has already engaged with key figures such as the commandant of the presidential air fleet and the NSA, delving into intricate national security matters concerning our President.

Given Nigeria’s foreign policy stance, this issue will not be publicly divulged, although extensive discussions have taken place.

The committee has agreed to establish a smaller technical team to work closely with all stakeholders including the NSA and commandant within a brief timeframe in order to devise an optimal solution beneficial for Nigeria, our President, and the entire presidential air fleet team.

Currently, the technical team plans to involve all relevant stakeholders in discussions regarding the presidential air fleet. A final decision will be reached after these engagements, but as of now, no decision has been made.

It is essential that we have an aircraft that reflects Nigeria’s identity. When asked whether the planes should be repaired or replaced, the lawmaker stated that no decision has been made yet and emphasized that the current presidential air fleet is functioning adequately.

Our priority is to project a positive image of Nigeria on the global stage. While discussions are ongoing and explanations have been provided, some reported incidents are inaccurately portrayed in the media and do not align with our expectations or understanding of events.