Tinubu Leaves for France in Brand New Airbus A330 Presidential Jet

•Atiku demands details of president’s trip

Deji Elumoye and Chuks Okocha in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu yesterday, departed the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja for Paris, the capital of France using the new Airbus A330, which replaced the 19-year-old Boeing  B737-700(BBJ) bought during the Presidency of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement stated that the new plane, bought far below the market price, saved Nigeria huge maintenance and fuel costs, running into millions of dollars annually.

According to the statement, 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 had recommended replacing the aging aircraft in the presidential fleet to reduce downtime and operational expenses.

Presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, had on Sunday disclosed that  Tinubu would on Monday depart the nation’s capital, Abuja for a working visit to France.

In a statement, Ngelale said the president was expected back in the country after his brief work stay in France.

Tinubu’s latest trip to France is coming three days after he returned from a three-day state visit to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea during which he held bilateral talks with President of Equatorial Guinea, Nguema Mbasogo and also signed security and oil and gas pacts with his host country.

But in a reaction, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, called on the handlers of the president to give more insight into the his trip to France.

In a statement by his media office, Atiku said: “Could you kindly elucidate the duration of President Bola Tinubu’s visit to France, or is this engagement open-ended?

“Furthermore, might you provide insight into the nature of the ‘brief work’ being undertaken in France, or is this matter held in secrecy?”

Atiku said this had become necessary given that the president  serves as a public steward funded by the nation’s resources, stressing that it was of paramount importance that Nigerians are kept apprised of his travel plans, objectives, and schedules.

“I trust that, having learned from the Yar’Adua experience, we are committed to upholding a higher standard of transparency,” the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 polls stated.

Tinubu, yesterday, August 19, embarked on a trip to France, departing from Abuja, the nation’s capital. The presidency did not state the purpose of Tinubu’s visit.

This is the fourth trip the president is making to the European country since his assumption of office.

In addition, he has also been to Equatorial Guinea, London, the United Kingdom (twice); Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic and Pretoria, South Africa.

He has also travelled to Accra, Ghana; New Delhi, India; Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (twice); Berlin, Germany; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dakar, Senegal and Doha, Qatar.