Tinubu flies to France in newly purchased presidential plane
*As presidency confirms procurement of Airbus A330
President Bola Tinubu, on Monday August 19, 2024, departed Abuja 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.
A statement by the Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, indicated that, the new plane, bought far below the market price, saves Nigeria huge maintenance and fuel costs, running into millions of dollars yearly.
The presidential adviser added that, 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 Nigerian Senate’s security and intelligence committee recommended replacing the ageing aircraft in the presidential fleet to reduce downtime and operational expenses.
