Ali Isa, a member of the house of representatives, says President Bola Tinubu should travel by road or use commercial flights for official engagements.
Isa, the minority whip and a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing the Balanga/Billiri federal constituency of Gombe, spoke on the floor of the green chamber on Wednesday.
Isa was contributing to a motion sponsored by Satomi Ahmed, chairman of the house committee on national security and intelligence, on the need to probe the status of the presidential fleet.
Recently, Tinubu reportedly used a chartered aircraft from the Netherlands to Saudi Arabia after the presidential jet developed a fault.
Early this month, Vice-President Kashim Shettima also cancelled his trip to the United States due to a fault developed by the presidential jet.
Shettima was to represent Tinubu at the 2024 US-Africa business summit.
‘TINUBU SHOULD TRAVEL BY ROAD’
Isa said the president and the vice-president can travel by road or fly commercial airlines when they are going on official engagements.
“Mr Speaker, since an issue has been raised, I would advise that the president should suspend using the presidential aircraft; if there is a need he can use either commercial or chartered aircraft,” the lawmaker said.
“And another option that will also help Nigerians is if the president can travel by road. Nigerians will have hope that our roads will be repaired.”
Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker who presided over the plenary, said the president should not travel by road.
“Are you saying, Mr president, the number one leader should travel around by road?” Kalu asked.
But Kingsley Chinda, the minority leader, corroborated Isa’s position that the president can use commercial aircraft.
“I have not seen anything wrong with a public office holder using public aircraft. The prime minister of the UK uses British Airways. It is commercial,” Chinda said.
“We should be thinking of how to resuscitate the Nigerian Airway.
“British Airways is not a British Air Force; it is a British private company. If we have planes in the presidential fleet, they should be maintained, and the president and vice president can use them.
“If for any reason we have failed to maintain them, it is not for it to be discussed on the floor of the house.”
However, Sada Soli, a member from Katsina countered Chinda, saying that the UK prime minister uses a special British Airways plane.
