Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president
on media and publicity, says the criticisms about the
retention of a presidential jet in London is informed by
a lack of understanding of protocol around foreign
trips by heads of state.
On May 7, President Muhammadu Buhari went to
London on an indefinite medical trip.
Some opponents of the current administration have
alleged that Nigeria has been incurring a huge cost as
a result of the presidential jet parked at an airport in
London.
But in a statement on Thursday, Shehu dismissed the
argument, saying world leaders get waivers when their
jets are parked in foreign airports.
Shehu wondered why the Buhari government, which he
considered as being modest, has been subjected to
attacks when “leaders who in the past travelled with
three Nigerian aircraft did not suffer this trenchant
criticism”.
“The presidency is constrained to decry criticisms,
mostly on social media, on the retention in London of
the presidential aircraft, NAF 001 as mostly informed
by lack of understanding of protocol around foreign
trips by heads of state all over the world,” the
statement read.
“It is important to state that for reasons of protocol,
national security, diplomacy and prestige, there is no
world leader who travels abroad and is left without
plans for immediate return or possible evacuation.
“From the operational point of view, this country’s
armed forces as represented by the Nigeria air force
are not to abandon their commander-in-chief in
whichever circumstance he is. This is a standard
operating procedure.
“We have also read claims about outrageous fees
allegedly paid by Nigeria. The published amounts are
totally untrue. Aircraft conveying heads of state all
over the world usually enjoy waivers even where
payments for parking are differentiated by aircraft
categories.
“We have been assured that where the waiver is not
granted, payment will not exceed £1,000, which is a
quarter of the amount being peddled.”
Shehu said Buhari is not the first to enjoy such
privilege and would not be the last.
He accused critics of the current administration of
trying to derail government’s “big plans” for the
country.
“For the avoidance of doubt, this president is not the
first to have a presidential aircraft standing by for him,
as he will certainly not be the last,” he said.
“All past heads of this country have had this privilege.
“We appeal to Nigerians to ignore opposition
campaign aimed at derailing this administration’s big
plans for the country.
“This is a government that is constructing the Second
Niger Bridge, the Mambila Power Plant, the East-West
and the North-South standard gauge railway lines.
“We are a government that has saved this country an
annual loss of two trillion Naira from fraudulent
petroleum subsidy schemes by influential citizens and
their children and rid the public service of about
50,000 ghost workers.
“The Buhari administration certainly deserves a
chance.”
TheCable
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