By Francis Ugwu Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi has described the seizure of aircraft in Nigeria...
By Francis Ugwu
Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr
Peter Obi has described the seizure of aircraft in Nigeria’s Presidential Air
Fleet as an international embarrassment.
Obi said the development is yet another of many embarrassing
incidents exposing the nation’s failed leadership and poor attitude to the rule
of law in a democracy.
DAILY POST learnt that the seizure followed the Ogun State
Government’s failure to honour a $74.5 million award granted to a Chinese
company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited by an independent
arbitral tribunal, chaired by the former President of the UK Supreme Court.
The seized jets are said to be part of Nigeria’s Presidential
Air Fleet.
However, the Presidency on Thursday said it is aware of the
development, accusing Zhongshan of attempting to take over offshore assets of
the Federal Government of Nigeria through subterfuge.
Reacting in a statement on Thursday, Obi, a former Anambra
State governor, said the fact that the Federal Government went ahead with the
jet deal despite outcry and horrifying economic hardship shows the
insensitivity of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
Obi said: “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.”
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