In response to the controversy surrounding the use of the presidential jet by President Buhari’s daughter, Hanan Buhari, senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and human rights activist, Femi Falana, has weighed in.
Addressing Garba Shehu’s claim that President Buhari’s family is entitled to the presidential jet, Falana released a statement on Sunday, January 12, refuting the assertion. He pointed out that the federal government’s official policy does not permit the President’s children to use the presidential jets for private social functions.
Falana also highlighted President Buhari’s pledge to reduce the cost of maintaining the presidential fleet, which currently amounts to N8.5 billion in the 2020 budget.
In part, his statement reads:
“There is no precedent whatsoever for such privatisation of the presidency of Nigeria.
“The so called ‘normal practice’ of using the aircraft in the presidential fleet by members of the first family to attend to private engagements is not backed by any extant law or official policy.
“In view of the foregoing, we call on President Buhari to stop the members of his family from using any of the aircraft in the presidential fleet “with a view to cutting down on waste.
“A country that is said to be the headquarters of the greatest number of poverty stricken people in the world cannot afford to waste billions of Naira on the use of presidential aircraft and hiring of commercial jets by state governors that are owing workers several months of unpaid salaries.”