Presidential Jet: Tinubu Yet To Approach Senate – Akpabio

In a deft move to douse tension in the public space, President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio says there is no request before the Senate for the purchase a presidential jet.

Denying receiving any correspondence from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu requesting the Red chamber’s approval of funds for the much-touted aircraft, Senator Akpabio said the interest of Nigerians remains uppermost in the minds of the lawmakers.

Akpabio, who spoke after a closed-door meeting of senators at the chambers lasting over an hour,  said; “I have never had that correspondence to approve the purchase of a plane.

“We care about the President, we care about Nigerians. We will approve things that will benefit the people.”

Specifically, he stated thus; “There is nothing before us. But the purveyors of the story know that there is a problem with the presidential fleet.”

Earlier in his intervention on the matter, Senate leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) said; “There is no such request, if the request comes, not only the Senate will debate it, we are 469 here.

“So this is the handiwork of fifth columnist and propagandists seeking to distract the government and also deceive Nigerians.”

It would be recalled that the senators had cut short their recess which was to end on July 2, 2024, and returned for an emergency session to consider a bill for an act to amend the 2023 supplementary appropriation act.

The bill is seeking to further extend its implementation to December 31, 2024, as requested by President Tinubu.

Interestingly, the media space has been awash with reports that President Tinubu had approached the National Assembly to approve funds for the purchase of a new presidential jet.