Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has lambasted the government of President Bola Tinubu over the reports on the seizure of some jets in the country’s presidential fleet by foreign business partners.
Obi, in a personally signed statement on Thursday, described the development as an international embarrassment.
He accused the Tinubu government of operating in secrecy and running the government like a personal family asset.
The outburst by the former Anambra State Governor follows the disclosure that a French court had authorized the seizure of three presidential jets linked to the Federal Government of Nigeria as part of a legal battle involving Zhongshan, a Chinese company.
The company had a business dispute with the Ogun State government, which led to this significant legal action.
Obi, in his reaction via a statement released on his X account, said the development has exposed the failed leadership in Nigeria.
He also accused the Tinubu government of mismanaging the country’s resources while a large portion of the citizens continue to languish in poverty.
The former presidential candidate questioned what both the Ogun state and Federal governments did before the French court action.
According to him, “The trending international news on the seizure of three Jets belonging to Nigeria’s Presidential fleet is yet another of many embarrassing things exposing our failed leadership and our attitude to the rule of law even in a democracy. It has also exposed multiple dimensions to our leadership failure and our insensitivity to the plight of the growing poor class in our midst.
“The fact that the federal government went ahead with the jet deal despite the cacophonous cry against the purchase of a Presidential jet at this time when the people are going through a horrifying economic hardship shows the insensitivity of this administration.
“Added to it is the embarrassing aspect of our country’s Presidential jets being held for contractual breaches arising from yet another dimension of inadequate leadership tidiness. I have been loud in my demand over time that the government at all levels should be accountable to the people, meaning that they must be very transparent in all their dealings. Until a court in France prohibits Nigeria from moving or selling these three jets, Nigerians have no iota of information about both the buying and selling of these aircraft.
“It has been done in secrecy. Federal Government property, which belongs to the people, is being managed as a personal family asset.
“Paying as much as $100m dollars for a Presidential jet for a country that is the poverty capital of the World and has more out-of-school children with over 40% food inflation is the height of concern for the people’s feelings.
“This incident has also opened up an aspect of indiscipline that is copiously embedded in our country which is the abuse and disrespect for the rule of law.
“Here are questions begging for answers:
“To what extent did the Ogun government follow its agreement with the Chinese firm?
“After the UK court ruling that prohibited some Nigeria building in Liverpool, what did both Ogun state and Federal government do before the French court action?
“I would like to, therefore, challenge the federal government to come clean and transparent on this matter and tell Nigerians how we got to this latest international mess. – PO”
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