Recent findings have revealed that the procurement of a new presidential jet for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was carried out without the approval of the National Assembly. This discovery has sparked controversy and raised questions about the legality of the purchase.
The issue came to light after it was reported that the Nigerian government had acquired an Airbus A330 aircraft from a German bank, which had seized the plane from an unnamed Arabian prince who defaulted on a multimillion-dollar debt. Despite the acquisition, officials from the Presidency have remained silent on the matter, with no official statement issued to clarify the situation.
The cost of the aircraft remains unconfirmed, though earlier reports suggested that the government was negotiating to purchase it for $100 million. However, the exact price at which it was acquired has not been verified.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio addressed the issue during a plenary session, stating that no request for the aircraft’s purchase had been presented to the National Assembly. Akpabio assured that if such a request were made, it would be considered, emphasizing the legislature’s commitment to the welfare of the Nigerian people. He also suggested that any premature accusations against the National Assembly amounted to “blackmail,” and reaffirmed the Senate’s responsibility to ensure national governance.
The controversy resurfaced after reports emerged that three Nigerian aircraft had been seized by a Chinese firm on the order of a French court, amid a dispute between the firm and the Ogun State government. The seized planes were reportedly undergoing routine maintenance at the time. However, the Chinese firm released one of the planes—an Airbus A330—so that President Tinubu could attend a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. It remains unclear whether this is the same aircraft recently acquired by the Nigerian government.
A presidential spokesperson confirmed that the new aircraft had indeed been purchased, dismissing any controversy surrounding its procurement. The spokesperson, who declined to be named, implied that the aircraft was purchased under the Service Wide Vote, which may not require parliamentary approval.
Despite these claims, several lawmakers have expressed ignorance of any approval process for the new jet. Sources within both the Senate and the House of Representatives confirmed that no discussion or vote on the matter took place before the National Assembly went on recess on July 23, 2024. Even though a recommendation was made in June by the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence for the procurement of a new aircraft, it was not formally approved by the legislators.
The chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Abubakar Bichi, who presented the supplementary budget that raised the 2024 Appropriation Act from N28.7 trillion to N35.06 trillion, did not include any specific mention of the new presidential jet. Lawmakers have since stated that they have not been provided with detailed breakdowns of the supplementary budget, leaving them unable to confirm whether the aircraft’s purchase was included.
When contacted, officials from the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Presidency either denied knowledge of the purchase or did not respond to inquiries. The lack of transparency has fueled further speculation and concern over the executive’s bypassing of the legislative approval process, a move that many see as undermining the checks and balances essential to Nigeria’s democratic governance.
