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Cost of governance: Tinubu orders sale of three presidential jets
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Three jets in the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF) are to be sold off, it was learnt at the weekend.
This is part of the cost-saving measures being adopted by the Tinubu Administration, an official revealed.
There are 10 aircraft in the fleet – six jets and four helicopters – which will be cut to seven if the planned action sails through.
During the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the plan to sell two planes in the fleet did not materialise.
In October 2016, a Dassault Falcon 7x executive jet and a Beechcraft Hawker 4000 business jet were put up for sale.
The preferred bidders who initially agreed to pay $ 24 million for the two aircraft, later reduced their offer to $ 11 million. This was rejected by the then government.
Thereafter, an arrangement to put some of the aircraft on chatter for willing governors was initiated to make the planes income-generating, thereby reducing the government expenses on maintenance.
The planes in the Presidential Fleet are Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) 737, Gulfstream G550, Gulfstream G500, two Falcon 7X, HS 4000, two Agusta 139, and two Agusta 101.
The BBJ 737 is the Nigerian Air Force One, which is used exclusively by the President.
It is designed to serve as an office and a residential quarter on air to enable the president to function effectively during his trip.
The President also uses one of the helicopters for shuttles during his trips around the country.
Other jets in the fleet are used by top government officials, including the Vice President, governors, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the National Assembly members on special shuttles, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, ministers on special missions, the Chief of Staff, advisers and even ambassadors of plenipotentiary status.
It could not be ascertained at the weekend if the President BBJ 737 will be sold and replaced.
The BBJ was bought for about $43 million during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
A Falcon and Embraer jets have been slated to be sold.
Not less than N80 billion has been budgeted for the PAF as maintenance cost, as follows: 2016 (N3.65 billion), 2017 (N4.37 billion), 2018 (N7.26 billion), 2019 (N7.30 billion), 2020 (N6.79 billion), 2021 (N12.55 billion), 2022 (N12.48 billion) and in 2023 about N25.7billion, made up of N13billion in the budget and N12.7billion in the 2023 Supplementary Budget.
The amount released from the budgetary line year on year could not be confirmed.
But President Tinubu is said to be uncomfortable with the rising cost of maintenance, hence his directive to reduce the fleet.
A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The President is uncomfortable with the rising cost of maintaining the planes.
“Three planes have been pencilled down for disposal.
“The main reason is cutting down high maintenance costs.
“I think officers in PAF were particularly concerned about the frequency of maintenance and how much it costs the nation.
“The President decided to let off the aircraft that constitute the most burdensome.”
An investigation confirmed that the presidency might have incurred over $5 million as maintenance fees in the past few months.
It was unclear the actual figure of outstanding commitments on the fleet which have not been settled.
Giving reasons for the use of some of the planes by top government officials, a source said: “It takes much time to connect some African countries by air. In such a situation, the Presidential Air Fleet is handy.
“The use of the fleet is domiciled in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for effective management.”
Last week, President Tinubu in another cost-saving measure imposed a three-month travel ban on public-funded foreign trips by Federal Government officials.
News
Step-By-Step Guide To Apply For 2026 FRSC Recruitment
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has opened its recruitment portal for the 2026 nationwide recruitment exercise, inviting qualified Nigerians to apply for vacancies across its Officer, Marshal Inspectorate and Road Marshal Assistant cadres.
The application portal will remain open for four weeks, while the Corps has emphasised that the recruitment exercise is free of charge and warned applicants against paying anyone for employment.
Interested applicants are advised to ensure they meet the eligibility requirements for their preferred cadre before beginning the registration process.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to apply for FRSC recruitment.
Step 1: Confirm your eligibility
Applicants must be Nigerian citizens by birth, medically, physically and psychologically fit, single, and of good character with no criminal record.
Male applicants must be at least 1.65 metres tall, while female applicants must have a minimum height of 1.58 metres.
Step 2: Choose your preferred cadre
Applicants should select the cadre that matches their qualifications.
Officer Cadre: B.Sc., B.A., HND, MBBS, LLB, B.Pharm or B.Eng., with a valid NYSC discharge or exemption certificate. Age limit: 18 to 35 years.
Marshal Inspectorate Cadre: ND, NCE, Registered Nurse/Midwife (RN/RM) or CHEW qualification. Age limit: 18 to 30 years.
Road Marshal Assistant Cadre: Minimum of three to five O’Level credits, including English Language and Mathematics. Age limit: 16 to 30 years.
Drivers and Riders: O’Level qualification, valid driver’s licence and relevant trade certificate where applicable. Heavy truck drivers must be between 26 and 40 years.
Step 3: Get your documents ready
Before starting the application, applicants should have the following:
National Identification Number (NIN)
Primary and secondary school certificates
Tertiary institution certificates and transcripts (where applicable)
NYSC discharge or exemption certificate
Local Government Certificate of Origin
Birth certificate or age declaration
Recent passport photograph
Valid email address and phone number
Step 4: Visit the recruitment portal
Go to the official FRSC recruitment portal at recruitment.frsc.gov.ng and create an applicant account using your email address, phone number and NIN. Applicants are advised to avoid unofficial websites.
Step 5: Verify your account
After registration, check your email for the activation link sent by the FRSC and verify your account before proceeding with the application.
Step 6: Complete the application form
Log in to the portal, choose your preferred cadre and accurately fill in your personal information, educational qualifications, contact details, next-of-kin information and work experience where applicable.
Step 7: Upload your credentials
Upload scanned copies of the required documents and passport photograph, ensuring all files meet the specified requirements.
Step 8: Submit and print your acknowledgement slip
Review your application carefully before clicking the submit button.
Applicants are advised to print the completed application form and acknowledgement slip immediately after submission, as both documents will be required during the screening and Computer-Based Test (CBT) for shortlisted candidates.
The FRSC reiterated that the recruitment exercise is free and urged applicants to report anyone demanding payment or promising employment in exchange for money.
News
Ooni debunks report over conferment of chieftaincy title on Baba Ijesha
The Permanent Chairman of the Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers Council (SNTRC), Arole Oodua Olofin Adimula and the Natural Head of the Oduduwa race worldwide, the Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has rubbished reports circulating on social media alleging that he conferred a chieftaincy title on popular Nollywood actor and comedian, James Olanrewaju, popularly known as Baba Ijesha.
In a statement on Saturday by the Director of Media and Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Otunba Moses Olafare said the Ooni clarified that although he warmly received the actor and his wife at the Ile Oodua Palace on Wednesday to celebrate the birth of his son and presented him with a brand-new car and cash gifts as a demonstration of his fatherly love and royal generosity, no chieftaincy title was conferred on him.
According to him, the expression “Awada Konge Oduwa,” which Baba Ijesha later described on his social media pages as a chieftaincy title, was merely a light-comedy remark made by the Ooni during a relaxed interaction in recognition of the actor’s outstanding career as a comedian.
The remark was never intended to constitute a formal installation or conferment of a traditional title.
The Ooni noted that Baba Ijesha, as an indigene of Ile-Ife and a proud son of the source, is deserving of honour and could be considered for a chieftaincy title in the future.
However, no such title has been conferred on him.
“The conferment of chieftaincy titles in Ile-Ife remains a sacred traditional process governed by established customs, consultations and traditional rites, which are publicly conducted in accordance with the age-long traditions of the source. None of these customary procedures took place during the actor’s visit to the Palace, “he said.
While appreciating Baba Ijesha for acknowledging the royal kindness extended to him and his family, the Ooni urged media organisations and members of the public to disregard reports claiming that the actor has been installed as the “Awada Konge Oduwa” or conferred with any chieftaincy title.
The Ooni reaffirmed his commitment to celebrating and supporting deserving sons and daughters of Ile-Ife and the Oodua race at large while preserving the sanctity, dignity and integrity of the revered traditional institution of chieftaincy.
News
Presidency Orders DSS, EFCC To Probe Govt Officials Linked To PFIPC Scandal
The Presidency has called on security and anti-graft agencies to identify, arrest and prosecute government officials who may have collaborated with Prince Matthew Adeniyi Adeyemi in the alleged operation of two fictitious federal government agencies.
Adeyemi is accused of creating the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council using allegedly forged documents purportedly linked to the Presidency.
In a statement on his verified X handle, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said investigators must go beyond Adeyemi and expose the internal network that allegedly enabled him to operate for an extended period.
Ajayi urged the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate all officials within public institutions who may have aided the alleged scheme.
According to Ajayi, much of the public debate has ignored the fact that government institutions detected the alleged fraud and acted on it.
He said officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, working with officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, first discovered inconsistencies in Adeyemi’s operations and reported the matter to the appropriate authorities.
“Contrary to the anything-goes narrative being promoted, it was the system itself that raised the red flag and dealt with it administratively,” Ajayi said.
He, however, acknowledged that the suspect could not have operated for long without help from insiders.
“What is not in doubt is that internal collaborators enabled Adeyemi to get this far. That is precisely what investigators from the DSS, the Police and the EFCC must now unravel.
“The criminal network within the affected institutions must be dismantled and everyone found to have played a role should be arrested and prosecuted,” he said.
The Presidency had earlier disowned the disowned the two organisations, insisting that they did not exist as government agencies.
It also maintained that the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, neither authorised Adeyemi’s activities nor had any connection with them.
“In Nigeria, the easiest and most believable allegation anyone can throw at a public officer is corruption.
“Once that accusation is thrown into the mix, the water is polluted, the lines are blurred and everyone is kept busy arguing over distractions rather than the real issues,” he wrote.
He described Adeyemi as “an irredeemable con artist” who was using allegations against the Chief of Staff as “his last straw” to avoid criminal liability.
The Presidency insisted that the case should not be framed as evidence of complicity at the highest levels of government, but as an alleged fraud uncovered by the system itself.
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