- Says “Obi and other irrational critics…wish what happened to the Iranian President Raisi recently and the Malawian Vice President last week should happen in Nigeria.”
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 for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
MURIC said in a statement that Obi’s opposition to acquiring new aircrafts for the Presidential Air Fleet “is not the improvement of Nigeria’s economic situation or the interest of the common man but to bring disaster to The Presidency.”
In the statement on Tuesday, the group’s Executive Director, Professor 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.
“For instance, President Tinubu had to continue his journey on a commercial plane very recently after two presidential jets broke down simultaneously. Also on 7th May, 2024, Vice President Kazim 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.
“Is this not scary enough? What does Peter Obi and his co-travellers want? Yet we have no scintilla of doubt that this set of desperate opposition will be the first to send hypocritical condolence messages if their serpentine wishes for the president or his vice become fait accompli. But it is the duty of patriotic and compos mentis Nigerians to ensure that no such disaster occurs.
“In a press statement issued last Friday, 14th June, 2024, MURIC suggested that the presidency should suspend all foreign trips until new aircrafts are provided. Some calamities are avoidable if only homo sapiens are visionary and pragmatic. Yet it is the citizens who will benefit more if new aircrafts 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 is noteworthy that Obasanjo was able to travel to 97 countries during his tenure because the presidential planes were airworthy at the time. His trips fetched Nigeria the famous debt relief of the Paris Club worth $18 billion and an overall reduction of Nigeria’s debt stock by $30 billion. The deal was completed on April 21, 2006 when Nigeria made its final payment and the books were cleared of any Paris Club debt.
“Former President Muhammadu Buhari visited 43 countries in his eight years as president. On the 2015 US trip alone, he attracted N2.7 trillion investments to Nigeria.
“In like manner, President Tinubu secured a fresh $250 million investment in Nigeria and another $100 million in a waste-to-wealth industrial facility in Lagos state during his recent trip to the Hague in May 2024. It is a globalized world. We cannot do it alone.
“That is why we cannot afford to lock up our leaders and restrict their movements to the nation’s borders as a result of lacking airworthy jets. They must go out to meet the world. Interpersonal interactions are by far more effective and more result-oriented than interaction via remote telephone discussions. We must not lock up Nigeria because we have economic problems. Interaction with the international community is vital for solving those problems and for general technological breakthrough.
“We must also not assume that the jets are for the president and his vice alone. They are used even by the least expected and the lowest of our citizenry, particularly in times of crisis. The presidency uses those aircrafts to fetch important stakeholders from place to place to resolve urgent national issues.
“The question is what kind of people are we? Are we the type of people who want their leaders to perish in plane crashes or the kind that appreciate their leaders’ efforts as they travel in and outside the country seeking solutions to our country’s problems? The choice is ours. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said ‘You will get the type of leaders you deserve’.
“The National Assembly (NASS) 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.”