Why we’re keeping Presidential Jet in London for Buhari – Presidency
The Presidency has given reason behind the continuous retention of the Presidential Aircraft, NAF 001 in London since President Muhammadu Buhari left the shore of Nigeria for medical leave in the United Kingdom on May 10, 2017.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, on Thursday, said that the presidency was constrained to decry criticisms, mostly on social media on the retention of the Presidential Jet, NAF 001.
According to Shehu, the criticism was mostly informed by lack of understanding of protocol around foreign trips by Heads of State all over the world.
He said: “It is important to state that for reasons of protocol, national security, diplomacy and prestige, there is no world leader who travels abroad and is left without plans for immediate return or possible evacuation.”
“From operational point of view, this country’s Armed Forces as represented by the Nigeria Air Force are not to abandon their Commander-In-Chief in whichever circumstance he is. This is a standard operating procedure.”
The presidency also refuted what they described as humongous fees allegedly paid by the Nigerian government to the British authority.
He said: “The published amounts are totally untrue. Aircraft conveying heads of state all over the world usually enjoy waivers even where payments for parking are differentiated by aircraft categories.
“We’ve been assured that where the waiver is not granted, payment will not exceed £1,000, which is a quarter of the amount being peddled.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, this President is not the first to have a presidential aircraft standing by for him, as he will certainly not be the last.”
“All past Heads of this country have had this privilege, and the part that surprises the most is that leaders who in the past travelled with three Nigerian aircraft did not suffer this trenchant criticism.”
Shehu, therefore, appealed to Nigerians to ignore opposition campaign aimed at derailing the present administration’s big plans for the country.
He highlighted the construction of the Second Niger Bridge, the Mambila Power Plant, the East-West and the North-South standard gauge railway lines as some of the key projects of the Buhari-led government.
“This is a government that has saved this country an annual loss of N2 trillion from fraudulent petroleum subsidy schemes by influential citizens and their children, and rid the public service of about 50,000 ghost workers,” the presidency pointed out.
The statement added that the Buhari’s administration certainly deserves a chance.
