The People’s Redemption Party (PRP) has taken a swipe at President Bola Tinubu over his decision to purchase new aircraft for the Presidential fleet, at a time when the country is grappling with crippling economic woes and citizens are struggling to make ends meet.
The National Publicity Secretary of the PRP, Comrade Muhammed Ishaq, who conveyed the position of his party on the matter on Monday, described the proposed purchase of new jets as an appalling, insensitive and profligate decision.
The party described the procurement of new presidential jets at this time as “wasteful expenditure “And urged the Federal Government to consider dropping it and instead focus on delivering tangible benefits to the poor and suffering citizens of Nigeria.
In a statement issued from the national secretariat of the party and personally signed by its spokesman, the PRP said that “it is unconscionable that the government is prioritizing luxury spending over the welfare of the people” at a time when the economy is in ruins, with inflation rates inching towards forty (40) per cent and negotiations for a living wage for Nigerian workers yet to be resolved.
“The proposal to purchase new aeroplanes for the presidential fleet is a clear testament to the government’s detachment from reality and its lack of empathy and accountability.
“We urge the government to remember that they are not serving themselves but the Nigerian people. The government should focus on addressing the pressing issues of poverty, unemployment, and economic stagnation rather than indulging in lavish spending sprees.
“For instance, China, the world’s second-largest economy, purchased its Presidential jet from Boeing in 2000 and has been flying it for 24 years.
“Similarly, the United States, the world’s largest economy, has a presidential jet manufactured by Boeing that was purchased in 1990 and has been used by six successive American presidents for 34 years.
“In contrast, Nigeria’s Presidential Jet was purchased in 2003 and became operational in 2005, making it a mere 19 years old.
“We can not understand why our government is not learning from the aforesaid good examples despite the fact that we are nowhere as rich as these economies.
“We need to prioritize our needs as a nation and be responsible in spending against dwindling resources. It is evident that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his counterpart in the National Assembly, Senator Godswill Akpabio, are living in an ivory tower and perpetuating an unpleasant government that caters more to their own interests than those of the people,” the statement read.
The PRP called on all well-meaning Nigerians to join the party in condemning what it described as a reckless spending spree and prevail on the Presidency and National Assembly to concentrate on delivering better governance that prioritizes the welfare of citizens over the indulgences of its leaders.