BREAKING: Presidency Confirms Purchase of New Presidential Jet, Shares Photos, Details

• The presidency has released pictures of the presidential jet bought by the administration of President Bola Tinubu
• Bayo Onanuga, the spokesperson to the president, said that the new presidential jet would replace the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700(BBJ) bought by former President Olusegun Obasanjo administration
• Recall that many Nigerians have criticised the presidential jets, citing the current economic hardship Nigerians are facing

The Presidency has unveiled the new Airbus A330 purchased under President Bola Tinubu. It replaces the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700(BBJ) bought during President Olusegun Obasanjo's tenure.

Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga released pictures of the new plane in a tweet on Monday, August 19. He stated that it was bought at a price lower than the market value, saving Nigeria millions of dollars in maintenance and fuel costs annually.

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How Senate recommends new presidential jet

Onanuga maintained that the Nigerian Senate's security and intelligence committee recommended the replacement after an investigative hearing questioned the old plane's safety record and cost efficiency. The old plane malfunctioned during a trip to Saudi Arabia.

According to the presidency, the new plane aims to reduce downtime and operational expenses in the presidential fleet.

The purchase was possibly made under the Service Wide Vote, which may not require parliamentary assent, according to a top government official.

The statement reads in part:

"The new plane is spacious and is furnished with state-of-the-art avionics, customized interior and communications system."

Presidential jet: Nigerians criticise Tinubu

Many Nigerians have criticised the purchase of the presidential jet, citing the country's current economic challenges as a reason why the president should have suspended its purchase.

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It recently became a reference for the opposition to criticise Tinubu, who consistently urged Nigerians to be patient with his administration and that the economic hardship is for a short period of time.

See the pictures here:

Source: Legit.ng