By Ijeoma Wilfred
As controversy of acquiring a new jet for President Bola Tinubu and Vice president Kasshim Shettima rages on, the Senate President,,Godswill Akpabio said the Senate will approve funds for the purchase of a new jet if President Bola Tinubu requested the upper chamber to do so.
Akpabio, who spoke after a closed door meeting in Thursday’s plenary however, revealed that he had not received received any letter from the President requesting the Senate’s approval for a presidential jet.
“We will approve things that would improve the living standard of the people. At the same time, we will also take cognizance of the duties of the president.
“If his vehicle is bad, we will repair the vehicle. If his plane is bad, we will approve money for the repair of the plane. So that is not an issue. There is nothing before us. I don’t think you should worry about it.
“I read the president’s correspondence to us. Nothing was touching on a plane or no plane, but I can tell you that when you hear stories such as the death of the vice president of Malawi as a result of a defective plane, and then you hear the death of the president of Iran as a result of defective aircraft, we shouldn’t ever sit and allow such to be at the ocean.
“It wouldn’t be. The Senate is very responsible. The National Assembly is very responsible. We will look into issues that will benefit the governance of the country.
“There is nothing before us. But the purveyors of the story know that there is a problem with the presidential fleet.” he said.
Earlier, the leader of the Senate,Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), said there was no such request from President Tinubu.
The Chairman Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South), who addressed journalists after plenary also said there was nothing before the senate on approval of funds for presidential jet
According to him, “What is not before the Senate, the Senate can’t deliberate on it.
“It is the bill that is before us that we will deliberate on it. The issue of aircraft has never been deliberated on. So the issue of aircraft has never come up. If the issue comes up, we will consider it on its merit, we will debate it.”
The Senate had convened an emergency session to consider the amendment to an executive bill which seeks to further extend the implementation of the 2023 supplementary appropriation act to December 31,2024,.
