President Tinubu Travels to South Africa In a Private Jet, Amid Controversy Over Presidential Fleet Upgrades.

On Tuesday, June 18, President Bola Tinubu and his team took two private aircraft from Lagos to Pretoria to attend the inauguration of Cyril Ramaphosa, the new president of South Africa.

According to Punch, the President departed in two private jets with members of his entourage after being observed by a source who saw him departing from Lagos, where he had spent the Eid vacation.

“They went in two private jets. Of course, you are aware that the presidential jets are no longer in good shape,” the unnamed insider added.

Around 11:06 a.m., the President is said to have taken off in a Dassault Falcon 8X from the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja.

The president would attend Ramaphosa's inauguration after being re-elected to a second term in office, according to presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale.

This occurred just twenty-four hours after the Presidency responded to Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, who had objected to a request for new planes for the presidential fleets. Recently, the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence demanded that President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima purchase new planes from the federal government.

The committee's advice was included in a report that was made public after it looked into the condition of the presidential air fleet's planes.

But, Obi said on his X handle on Monday that the decision was regrettable and that it came at a time when Nigerians were struggling with financial difficulties brought on by the policies of the Federal Government.

However, the Presidency quickly characterised Obi's remark as insensitive, questioning whether he would prefer to have the President's life at danger by operating malfunctioning aircraft.

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