Mr Philip, a member of the House of Representatives and deputy chairperson of the House Committee on Information, cautioned that failure to comply with the recommendation to replace old aircraft in the presidential fleet could have grievous consequences.
“If from the committee’s technical assessment by their consultants, they have viewed that this aircraft is no longer in the best state to convey our president, I think the repercussion or consequence of our failure to do the right thing at the right time will be more grievous than the cost,” he said on Channels Television’s Morning Show on Tuesday.
Mr Agbese, who represents the Ado/Ogbadibo/Okpokwu Federal Constituency of Benue State, further justified the planned purchase, recalling how Mr Tinubu’s frequent air travels in the aircraft from the presidential fleet to different parts of the world after his inauguration last year.
“So, the issue of the presidential fleet for us is a serious national security issue and if Mr President is a citizen of this country like any of us as much as we are concerned about the life of the ordinary citizen. We should also be concerned about the life of our president,” he said.
PREMIUM TIMES reported exclusively that the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence had asked the federal government to immediately purchase new aeroplanes for the use of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The committee’s counterparts in the Senate have also backed the move.
However, many Nigerians have pushed back against the plan, considering it a misplaced priority when citizens grapple with economic hardship.
Among the vocal critics of the plan is the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi.
In a statement on his X handle on Monday, Mr Obi said it is insensitive for the government to contemplate buying presidential jets when the country is facing its worst economic crisis.
“At a time when our country is on the front page of global newspapers for facing its worst economic crisis, marked by high inflation, a falling currency, and widespread poverty, the government is contemplating buying new presidential jets.
“This demonstrates extreme insensitivity to citizens’ struggles.
“With rising insecurity, poverty, hunger, and homelessness, this decision highlights the disconnect that is apparent between the government and the people,” Mr Obi wrote.
Responding to the criticism of the planned purchase, Mr Agbese insisted on Tuesday that the president’s life is as important as every other Nigerian’s.
Lawyer counters lawmaker
Emmanuel Anyaegbunam, a lawyer and guest alongside Mr Agbese, gave a contrary opinion on the issue.
“If you realistically look at the situation at the moment, the level of hunger and anxiety in the land is really high. We have had one year. If, in the course of this one year, there are basic issues that concern public transportation, then it would have given room to handle this,” the lawyer said.
Mr Anyaegbunam said that the plan to buy aircraft for the president and his deputy at a time when Nigerians are grappling with the economic hardship resulting from the removal of fuel subsidy by the Tinubu administration in the last one year shows the level of disconnect between the government and the people.
Responding, Mr Agbese said, “In providing services to our people, it is not going to be cheap, except what we want is not the ability of government to deliver to the people.”
