By; SUNDAY ODE, Abuja.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said he had authorized the sale of two aircraft from the Presidential air fleet.
There are about ten aircraft presently in the fleet.
A statement by the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu noted accordingly that newspaper advertisement for the sale of the aircraft had full approval of the President.
The sale, according to Shehu in the statement, was in line with a directive by President Buhari to reduce the presidential fleet in order to cut cost.
Shehu also stated that the exercise would not terminate with the sale of the two aircraft, indicating that some would be handed over to the Nigerian Air Force for their operations.
The statement read: “The newspaper advertisements for the sale of two Presidential aircraft, a Falcon 7x executive jet and Hawker 4000 were duly authorized by the Presidency.
“This is in line with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari that aircraft in the Presidential air fleet be reduced to cut down on waste.
“When he campaigned to be President, the then APC candidate Muhammadu Buhari, if you recall, promised to look at the presidential air fleet with view to cutting down on waste.
“His directive to a government committee on this assignment is that he liked to see a compact and reliable aircraft for the safe airlift of the President, the Vice President and other government officials that go on special missions.
“This exercise is by no means complete.
“I am sure the Commander of the Presidential air fleet will any time from now, call you to a ceremony at which he will hand over some other aircraft to the Airforce for their operations.”
