The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has condemned the federal government’s decision to purchase new presidential jets despite the country’s worsening economic crisis.

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, slammed the move as “extremely insensitive” to citizens’ struggles.

Obi’s statement comes at a time when the country is currently trending in the global media as experiencing its worst economic crisis, marked by high inflation, a falling currency, and widespread poverty.

The New York Times recently reported that “Nigeria is facing its worst economic crisis in decades, with skyrocketing inflation, a national currency in freefall, and millions of people struggling to buy food.”

It added that only two years ago, Africa’s biggest economy, Nigeria, “was projected to drop to fourth place this year. The pain is widespread. Unions strike to protest salaries of around $20 a month.”

Reacting to the international media report, the presidency stated that the report reflected the typical predetermined, reductionist, derogatory, and denigrating way foreign media establishments have reported on African countries for several decades.

The presidency also defended its economic policies, stating that it inherited the crisis and has implemented reforms to restore confidence and stimulate growth.

“Because of the misleading slant of the report, we need to clear up some misconceptions conveyed by the reporters regarding the economic policies of the Tinubu administration that came into power at the end of May 2023,” Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency spokesperson, stated.

“Most significant about the report was that it painted the dire experiences of some Nigerians amid the inflationary spiral of the last year and blamed it all on the policies of the new administration. The report, based on several interviews, is at best jaundiced, all gloom and doom, as it never mentioned the positive aspects of the same economy as well as the ameliorative policies being implemented by the central and state governments.

“To be sure, President Tinubu did not create the economic problems Nigeria faces today. He inherited them. As a respected economist in our country once put it, Tinubu inherited a dead economy. The economy was bleeding and needed quick surgery to avoid being plunged into the abyss, as happened in Zimbabwe and Venezuela. This was the background to the policy direction taken by the government in May/June 2023: the abrogation of the fuel subsidy regime and the unification of the multiple exchange rates.”

Despite these justifications, Obi stated that the government’s priorities are misplaced, particularly with its plan to purchase new presidential jets, claiming that it “demonstrates extreme insensitivity to citizens’ struggles.”

The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence recently asked the federal government to immediately purchase new aeroplanes for the use of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The Committee made the call in a report issued after its technical subcommittee conducted a hearing on the status and airworthiness of aircraft in the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF).

“The Committee is of the strong and informed opinion that considering the fragile structure of the Nigerian federation and recognizing the dire consequences of any foreseen or unforeseen mishap that may arise as a result of technical/operational inadequacy of the Presidential Air Fleet, it is in the best interest of the country to procure two additional aircraft as recommended,” the report read in part.

“This will also prove to be most cost-efficient in the long run apart from the added advantage of providing a suitable, comfortable, and safe carrier befitting of the status and responsibilities of the office of the president and vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Obi, however, added that, with rising insecurity, poverty, hunger, and homelessness, this decision highlights the disconnect between the government and the people, saying that it is unacceptable and demands a more compassionate use of resources, prioritising citizens’ welfare.

He also called for an end to what he described as impunity, insensitivity, and shamelessness, urging the government to refocus on the needs of the people by prioritising education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation.

“It’s on record that our presidential jets have an average age of 12 years, purchased when most Nigerians could afford basic necessities. Now, as our country faces significant challenges, including a high debt profile, our citizens are in even greater need,” Obi said.

“Instead of adding to our luxuries, we should be focused on alleviating their suffering and finding solutions to their problems. For long, our bad leadership has made our priorities, as leaders, to be at variance with the needs of society, which is why we are headed south now, as a nation. To elucidate further, despite dropping down to the fourth-largest economy in Africa, with a GDP of $252 billion and a per capita income of $1,080, with huge debt burdens and borrowing to service debts, yet, we are spending $15 million for our Vice President’s residence, while the USA, the world’s largest economy with a GDP of $25 trillion, about 100 times our GDP, and a per capita income of $80,000, about 80 times ours, still houses their Vice President in Number 1 Observatory Circle, a house built over 100 years ago, and whose value is obviously less than the $15 million we are spending on our VP’s residence. A reputable real estate company actually reports that the US Vice President’s Official Residence is valued at about $7.5 million today.”

“While we had earlier refurbished the old VP residence with $2 million, the over 100 years old US Vice President’s house has only undergone wide scale renovations twice, funded by taxpayer money; in 1993 and in 2021. Every new US VP is free to finance any minor refurbishing from his personal funds. It’s, therefore, time to stop this impunity, insensitivity, and shamelessness and refocus on the needs of our people. We must prioritise education, healthcare, and lifting our citizens out of poverty.

Let us work together to build a nation that truly serves its people, not just the interests of a few. Let’s rise to the challenge, and build this new Nigeria, which is now more possible than ever before.”