Last week, the VP Shetima cancelled his trip to the Commonwealth Summit
in Samoa over an incident at an airport in New York, United States. In a
statement issued, the presidency had said Shettima could not proceed to Samoa
because a foreign object hit his plane during a stopover at JFK Airport in New
York.
Shortly after the incident, the Speaker of the Borno State House of
Assembly, Abdulkareem Lawan, released a statement calling on the Federal
Government to consider buying a new aircraft for Shettima. Lawan said
Shettima’s life is at risk due to the faulty presidential aircraft he used to
represent President Bola Tinubu in official engagements across the globe. He
said the aircraft designated to the vice president has had several incidents in
recent times and needs to be replaced with a new one.
Reacting to the calls for a new presidential jet, Obi in a statement
released asked what the Vice President needs a new presidential jet for when
Nigerians are dealing harsh economic conditions.
His statement reads
''I just read a disturbing comment in the media space attributed to one
of the supposed political leaders in the country that the life of the Vice
President is in danger because of the faults recorded in his official aircraft.
The leader went further to urge the Federal Government to purchase a new
aircraft for the Vice President.
In making such a remark now, the speaker is insensitive and obviously
unconcerned about the prevailing economic situation in the country.
That Nigerians are facing untold hardship at this moment is no secret .
Such a provoking call is coming from a person who probably is oblivious
of the fact that Nigeria, at present, has continued to manifest every trait
of a failed state.
We are today among one of the eleven worst-governed African nations in
the last 10 years. We are also among the 20 most hungry nations in the world,
with our people facing worsening mass poverty, extreme hunger and starvation.
Our nation remains the poverty capital of the world, with our per capita
income crashing further from $1700 in 2023 to $1109 this year.
Are these not the issues that should be prioritized by committed
leaders?
Our national electricity grid has so far collapsed 8 times this year
alone and 105 times in the last ten years, plunging our small businesses into
great losses and households into darkness.
In the past 15 months, several businesses have closed down or become
distressed due to the harsh economic environment in the country.
Are these not the issues that should preoccupy us as leaders, rather
than being consumed by our selfish desires for needless luxury at the expense
of the people we are called to serve?
What does Nigeria's Vice President need a new jet for, and what
value are all Presidential and Vice Presidential trips adding to our present
situation?
It was not until 2014 that Indonesia, with sustainable economic growth
of over 6% annually for the past 10 years, adding about 50% to both her GDP and
GDP per capita, decide to buy a Presidential jet, used by both the President
and Vice President.
The Vice President travels mostly in the country's national airline,
Garuda Indonesia.
And since we have recently undeservedly bought one, it should be used on
essential, inevitable trips of the President and Vice President.
I appeal to the
President, Vice President, and our public office holders that our present
precarious situation calls only for minimal and highly contributory inevitable
travels.
It is time to sit down
and find solutions to our litany of challenges for the wellbeing of the people
and the development of our country.
Nigeria will rise again
if the leadership can commit to selfless service.
A New Nigeria is
POssible if we can get our priorities right. -PO
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