Tinubu flies to France aboard new jet
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu departed Abuja last night for Paris, France for a brief work stay.
He flew aboard Airbus A330, the newly-acquired presidential jet.
A post on the verified X handle of Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said: โPresident Tinubu departed Abuja Monday for Paris, using the new Airbus A330, which replaced the 19-year-old Boeing B737-700(BBJ) bought under the Presidency of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
โThe new plane, bought far below the market price, saves Nigeria huge maintenance and fuel costs, running into millions of dollars yearly.
โThe recommendation to replace the B737-700(BBJ) followed an investigative hearing by Nigeriaโs parliament that questioned the planeโs safety record and cost efficiency, especially after it malfunctioned during a trip to Saudi Arabia.
โThe Nigerian Senateโs security and intelligence committee recommended replacing the ageing aircraft in the presidential fleet to reduce downtime and operational expenses.
โThe new plane is spacious and is furnished with the state-of-the-art avionics, customized interior and communications systemโ.
