18th June, 2024
PRESS RELEASE:
PETER
OBI, OTHER CRITICS OF NEW PRESIDENTIAL JETS NURSE EVIL INTENTIONS – MURIC
The Muslim Rights Concern
(MURIC) has accused the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the
2023 election, Peter Obi, of nursing evil intentions for trying to stop the
Federal Government (FG) from acquiring new aircrafts for the presidential fleet.
The group said Peter Obi’s interest is not the improvement of Nigeria’s
economic situation or the interest of the common man but to bring disaster to
the presidency.
This was revealed in a
statement issued on Tuesday, 18th June, 2024 by the group’s
Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
He said:
“The presidential
candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, yesterday,
Monday 17th June, 2024 chided the Federal Government (FG) for
planning to purchase new aircrafts for the presidency (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/06/focus-on-poverty-alleviation-not-new-presidential-jet-obi-charges-fg/).
“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.
“Little wonder, therefore,
that Obi is yet to condemn his supporters for calling for a military coup
months after their treasonable utterances (https://newsdigest.ng/peter-obis-supporters-calling-for-coup-are-gullible-ignorant-fani-kayode/).
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 (https://gazettengr.com/exclusive-tinubu-forced-to-fly-commercial-to-saudi-arabia-from-netherlands-as-two-presidential-jets-break-down-at-once/).
“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 (https://punchng.com/shettima-shelves-us-trip-as-presidential-jet-develops-fault-midair/).
“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 (https://theshieldonlineng.com/
“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 (https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/254932-i-travelled-97-countries-president-obasanjo.html?tztc=1).
“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 (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/08/buhari-brought-n2-7trn-investments-from-us-visit-presidency/).
“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 (https://www.thecable.ng/takeaways-from-president-tinubus-trip-to-riyadh-and-hague/).
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.”
#NewPresidentialJets
#SaveNigeriaFromDisaster
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Founder/Executive Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).
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