The Islamic group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, and all those opposed to the procurement of new presidential jets of nursing evil intentions against President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
MURIC said in a statement on Tuesday, that Obi’s opposition to acquiring new aircraft for the presidential air fleet was not for the improvement of Nigeria’s economic situation or the interest of the common man, but to “bring disaster” to the presidency.
The group’s Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, said: “We have no iota of doubt that Peter Obi is shedding crocodile tears. His interest is not the improvement of Nigeria’s economic situation or that of the common man but to bring disaster to the presidency. Peter Obi nurses evil intentions.
“Peter Obi’s body language since the declaration of the results of the 2023 presidential elections has exposed him as a bitter politician and a bad loser who cannot come to terms with the reality of his defeat. Obi is a Trumpist. He will go to any length to bring disaster to his perceived political enemies.
“As far as Obi and other irrational critics are concerned, they wish what happened to the Iranian President Raisi recently and the Malawian vice president last week should happen in Nigeria. God forbid!
“How many times do we have to drum it to the ears of this far right, ultra nationalist opposition cartel that the presidential jets are already worn out? They have become rickety, risky and unserviceable. They have broken down so many times during trips,” the ground said.
It added that for instance, Tinubu had to continue his journey on a commercial plane very recently after two presidential jets broke down simultaneously, stressing that on May 7, 2024, Shettima had to shelve a trip to the United States for the US-Africa Business Summit when the presidential jet developed a fault one hour after take-off.
MURIC recalled that it had suggested that the presidency should suspend all foreign trips until new aircrafts were provided.
“Some calamities are avoidable if only homo sapiens are visionary and pragmatic. Yet it is the citizens who will benefit more if new aircraft are acquired for the presidency, if only they know.
“With new presidential jets, humongous economic benefits await Nigerians as the president and his vice will be able to honour international obligations and events thereby attracting confidence in the safety of investments in Nigeria,” it stressed.
MURIC stated that nobody should assume that the jets are for the president and his vice alone, explaining that they are used even by the least expected and the lowest of the citizenry, particularly in times of crisis.
“The presidency uses those aircraft to fetch important stakeholders from place to place to resolve urgent national issues.
“The National Assembly should ignore the rantings of Peter Obi and his co-travellers. Nigeria should go ahead and buy new presidential jets to avoid a national calamity. The old jets can be sold to reduce the cost of new ones. We have had enough of president and vice president in flying ‘molue’ buses,” the statement added.
Chuks Okocha
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