Presidency Unveils New Presidential Jet As Tinubu Departs For France
President Bola Tinubu has departed Abuja, the nation’s capital, to France aboard the new presidential jet A330.
Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the Tinubu on information and strategy, made this known in a statement that the jet replaces the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700 purchased under former president Olusegun Obasanjo.
In a Tweet by Onanuga, “the new plane, was bought far below the market price, saves Nigeria huge maintenance and fuel costs, running into millions of dollars yearly.”
“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.
“The new plane is spacious and is furnished with the state-of-the-art avionics, customized interior and communications system.”