President Tinubu departed Abuja Monday for Paris, using the new Airbus A330, which replaced the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700(BBJ) bought under the Presidency of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
This was made known by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement on Monday.
Mr Onanuga said the new plane was bought far below the market price, which he said saves Nigeria a huge maintenance and fuel costs, running into millions of dollars yearly.
He, however, did not state the value of the new aircraft.
“The recommendation to replace the B737-700(BBJ) followed an investigative hearing by Nigeria’s parliament that questioned the plane’s safety record and cost efficiency, especially after it malfunctioned during a trip to Saudi Arabia,” the statement reads.
“The Nigerian Senate’s security and intelligence committee recommended replacing the aging aircraft in the presidential fleet to reduce downtime and operational expenses.
This development has generated controversies, with many questioning its justification at a time when the country’s economy is in dire situation.
