No National Assembly Approval for New Airbus A330 Presidential Jet

Daily Trust’s investigation reveals that the procurement of a new Airbus A330 presidential jet for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not receive prior approval from the National Assembly.

In late June, an online news platform reported that the Nigerian government had acquired an Airbus A330 aircraft from a German bank. According to PREMIUM TIMES, the bank had seized the aircraft from an unnamed Arabian prince and businessman who had defaulted on a loan worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Reports suggest that officials within the Presidency remained tight-lipped about the purchase of the aircraft for the Presidential Air Fleet. To date, no official statement has been released regarding the procurement, and the exact cost of the aircraft remains unverified. Earlier reports speculated that the government was negotiating a $100 million price tag, though the final amount remains unclear.

During a recent Senate session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio confirmed that the National Assembly had not been consulted or given an opportunity to approve the aircraft’s purchase. He assured that once the matter is formally presented, the Assembly would consider and approve it, emphasizing the need to ensure the safety and well-being of the Nigerian people.

Akpabio also addressed rumors that the National Assembly was being pressured over the issue, suggesting that external narratives were being used to manipulate public perception. He cited examples of aviation-related tragedies involving foreign leaders as a reason why the procurement of a reliable presidential aircraft is essential.

The controversy surrounding the acquisition resurfaced when three Nigerian aircraft were seized by a Chinese firm under the orders of a French court, amid a legal dispute between Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment and the Ogun State government. The seized planes were reportedly undergoing routine maintenance at the time.

The Chinese firm recently released one of the aircraft, an Airbus A330, to allow President Tinubu to travel to France for a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron. A presidential spokesperson confirmed the purchase of the aircraft, stating, “If it was not purchased, how could it be withheld by the Chinese company? There’s no controversy around it.”

When asked about the lack of National Assembly approval, the spokesperson hinted that the aircraft might have been procured under the Service Wide Vote, which could bypass the need for legislative consent.

However, National Assembly correspondents reported that the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence, led by Satomi Ahmed, had recommended the procurement of a new presidential aircraft in June. Despite this recommendation, no formal approval was granted before the lawmakers adjourned for their annual recess on July 23.

The House of Representatives passed a supplementary budget bill on July 23, raising the 2024 Appropriation Act from ₦28.7 trillion to ₦35.06 trillion. However, it remains unclear whether the purchase of the new presidential aircraft was included in this budget, as no detailed breakdown has been provided.

Several lawmakers, who requested anonymity, confirmed that no official request for the aircraft’s purchase had been discussed or approved before the recess. A Senate source indicated that while the issue had been mentioned in media reports, no formal communication from the Presidency had been received.

The Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) also denied knowledge of the purchase, with a spokesperson stating, “It cannot be true. This is the first I am hearing of this, whether in government or outside government.”

Efforts to obtain comments from the Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, Senator Bashir Lado, as well as other key officials, were unsuccessful, as they did not respond to calls or messages.