By Abraham Olatunbosun
President Muhammadu Buhari has come under severe criticism for releasing a presidential airplane to the All Progressives Congress (APC) for campaign purposes.
One of such criticisms came from the table of the Obi-Datti Campaign Organisation.
Voicing anger over the development, the Labour Party torch bearers in a statement by the media office, said: “This must stop. Henceforth, The Presidency, which controls the PAF office should live up to its responsibilities and ensure that these aircraft are used only for enhancing governance and not openly supporting a particular Presidential candidate and party.”
Full text of the statement…
Obi-Datti Media Office Frowns at the Use
of NAF Jet for APC Campaigns
The APC Presidential Women Campaign Team led by the wife of the APC Presidential candidate Sen Oluremi Tinubu and Vice Presidential candidate Hajiya Nana Shettima arrived Makurdi, Capital of Benue State to commiserate with flood victims.
Since their husbands – Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC Presidential candidate and Kashim Shettima have ruled themselves unsympathetic enough to embark on the humanitarian tour, it is left to their wives to cover their shame.
Coming almost one week after the Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi suspended his campaign to kickstart the first ever humanitarian tour by any of the presidential candidates, it’s a reminder that good things are worthy to be copied.
But what is disturbing is that both Tinubu and Shettima’s wives are campaigning with Presidential Air Fleet (PAF) aircraft under the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) pilots and crew.
This is another waste of public funds for pursuit of partisan political interests and open exposure of our men and women in uniform to undue political influences.
The Obi-Datti campaign organisation calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the Presidential Air Fleet from using NAF operated aircraft for campaign activities.
These NAF aircraft are maintained with scarce resources and in this case, the federal government is using borrowed money to fund the campaign activities of the APC Presidential candidate.
No aircraft in the inventory of NAF or any of the agencies of the Federal government should be involved in partisan political trips or activities.
This must stop. Henceforth, The Presidency, which controls the PAF office should live up to its responsibilities and ensure that these aircraft are used only for enhancing governance and not openly supporting a particular Presidential candidate and party.
