Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has faulted the proposal to purchase new presidential aircraft.

Recently, the house of representatives committee on national security and intelligence asked the federal government to purchase new aircraft for President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima.

The committee’s recommendation was contained in a report released after it investigated the status of the aircraft in the presidential air fleet.

In May, the house of representatives mandated the committee to conduct a “comprehensive investigation” into the aircraft in the presidential fleet to ascertain their airworthiness and technical status.

Shettima cancelled his trip to the United States due to a fault with his aircraft. The vice-president was to represent Tinubu at the 2024 US-Africa business summit.

Reacting to the development, Obi, in a statement published on Monday on X, said the proposal for a new aircraft “highlights the disconnect between the government and the people”.

“With rising insecurity, poverty, hunger, and homelessness, this decision highlights the disconnect between the government and the people,” Obi wrote.

“It is unacceptable and demands a more compassionate use of resources, prioritizing citizens’ welfare.

“It’s on record that our presidential jets have an average age of 12 years, purchased when most Nigerians could afford basic necessities.

“Now, as our country faces significant challenges, including a high debt profile, our citizens are in even greater need.

“Instead of adding to our luxuries, we should be focused on alleviating their suffering and finding solutions to their problems.

“For long, our bad leadership has made our priorities, as leaders, to be at variance to the needs of society, which is why we are headed now south as a nation.”

The former Anambra governor also faulted the construction of a N21 billion official residence for Shettima amid economic hardship.

“To elucidate further, despite dropping down to the fourth-largest economy in Africa, with a GDP of $252 billion and a per capita income of $1,080, with huge debt burdens and borrowing to service debts, yet we are spending $15 million for our Vice President’s residence, while the USA, the world’s largest economy with a GDP of $25 trillion, about 100 times our GDP, and a per capita income of $80,000, about 80 times ours, still houses their Vice President in Number 1 Observatory Circle, a house built over 100 years ago and whose value is obviously less than the $15 million we are spending on our VP’s residence.”

Obi said it is time for the political class to stop “recklessness” and focus on the needs of the people.

“It’s, therefore, time to stop this impunity, insensitivity, and shamelessness and refocus on the needs of our people. We must prioritize education, healthcare, and lifting our citizens out of poverty,” the former Anambra governor added.

“Let us work together to build a nation that truly serves its people, not just the interests of a few. Let’s rise to the challenge and build this new Nigeria, which is now more possible than ever before.”

The Federal Government has debunked the report that the Murtala Mohammed Way, Abuja has been renamed after the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, saying such name change has never been contemplated by the administration.

It explained that during the inauguration of a new road in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, codenamed Arterial Road N20 (from Katampe to Jahi), the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, proposed to the President that the road be named after Prof Wole Soyinka, and the President agreed.

In a statement issued by Rabiu Ibrahim Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, the government urged Nigerians to disregard any misinformation regarding the renaming of the Murtala Mohammed Expressway, describing the report as entirely false that existed in the imagination of its purveyors.

The statement read: “We have noted the rumours being circulated that the Murtala Mohammed Expressed Way in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has been renamed as Wole Soyinka Way.

“The renaming of the Murtala Mohammed Expressway Way has never been contemplated by this administration.

“For the record, on June 4, 2024, President Bola Tinubu inaugurated a new road in the FCT codenamed Arterial Road N20 (from Katampe to Jahi), which links the existing Outer Northern Expressway (also known as Murtala Mohammed Expressway) to the Northern Parkway (also called Ahmadu Bello Way).

“During the inauguration of the N20 (which is a new road), FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, proposed to the President that the road be named after Prof Wole Soyinka, and the President agreed.

“Therefore, it is the Arterial Road N20 that is named after Prof Soyinka. The Murtala Mohammed Expressway remains unchanged and continues to bear the name of our esteemed former Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Mohammed.

“We urge all citizens to disregard any misinformation regarding the renaming of the Murtala Mohammed Expressway. The report is entirely false and only exists in the imagination of its purveyors.”

A man identified as Eric and his yet-to-be identified girlfriend have been found dead at an apartment located at Ayeyemi area of Ondo town in Ondo state.

The lifeless bodies of the lovers were reportedly found stuck together.

The deceased were reportedly found dead by relatives who checked on them when the man did not answer his phone calls.

They were said to have looked through a window, spotted the bodies, and broke down the door to gain entry into the apartment.

A witness said the lovers might have been electrocuted as a generator was switched on at apartment and “a phone was seen charging on a socket placed on the bed”.

“It may be possible that they had contact with a naked wire, resulting in their electrocution,” the witness said.

Funmilayo Odunlami, Ondo police spokesperson, confirmed the incident.

She said the command has commenced an investigation to unravel the cause of their deaths.

“The man and the woman are lovers who were known by both relatives. They died in the room but they were not stuck together,” Odunlami said.

“We are yet to know the cause but investigation had commenced.”