Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Public Communications and Media to President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday has justified the purchase of a new private jet for the president, saying he needs a better jet in order to market Nigeria around the world.
The Airbus A330 was purchased for President Tinubu in August 2024 at a cost of $100m.
Speaking as guest on Arise TV’s The Morning Show in Lagos, Bwala said the presidency was trying to avoid what happened during the tenure of former president Muhammadu Buhari where his jet occasionally had problems.
“As for the purchase of the presidential jet, it is justifiable because if the president as the chief marketer of the country will have to travel round the world, he will need to be in a better jet to be able to do that. I understand that when Buhari was in power, occasionally his jet had problems and they had to fix it”.
Bwala also said he criticised President Tinubu in the past because he was a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He said it is the responsibility of the opposition to keep the government on its toes.
“I criticised Tinubu’s election and administration in the past because I was in the opposition. The opposition’s work is to criticise the sitting government and hold them accountable. My views changed after I met the President, and he saw a need to appoint me,” he said.
