•Peter Obi
Presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has said it is insensitive for anyone to demand a new aircraft for Vice President Kashim Shettima following a recent incident in the United States.
Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkareem Lawan, had claimed that Shettima’s life “is at risk due to the faulty presidential aircraft he is using to represent President Bola Tinubu in official engagements across the globe”, reports Daily Trust.
Obi, however, said the Speaker was unconcerned about the prevailing economic hardship confronting Nigerians, including the electricity sector crisis.
“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,” Obi said.
He said Nigerians facing untold hardship at this moment is no secret, thus 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.
He also said Nigeria today is among one of the 11 worst-governed African nations in the last 10 years and also among the 20 most hungry nations in the world, with Nigerians 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,” Obi said.
He wondered if these are not the issues that should preoccupy the leaders, rather than being consumed by their “selfish desires for needless luxury at the expense of the people they are called to serve?”
He said, “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.”
He urged President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Shettima, and the public office holders that Nigeria’s 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,” Obi said.
