9 serving state governors have to date squandered tens of millions of naira to constitution personal jets to maneuver across the nation to advance their 2023 presidential ambitions.
Based on Day by day Belief, that is forward of the presidential primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Social gathering (PDP the place the presidential aspirants together with the 9 serving governors have been travelling throughout the 36 states and FCT to woo delegates.
There are 38 presidential aspirants in each APC and PDP together with the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, nationwide chief of the APC, Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, amongst others.
Whereas all of the aspirants have been travelling throughout the nation in chartered plane, the spending of the 9 serving governors has attracted public consideration and scrutiny.
The governors, who’re aspiring for the presidency, embody Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom), Ben Ayade (Cross River), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa) and Yahaya Bello (Kogi).
Of the 9 governors, solely Bala Mohammed is serving his first time period, the remaining are finishing their second time period in workplace.
Experiences revealed that authorities actions are being relegated to the background in a number of the states because the governors are preoccupied with their presidential campaigns amid allegations that they’re utilizing state assets.
In the mean time, a non-public jet constitution prices between $7,000 (over N4million at 580/$) to $10,000 (N5.8million) per hour relying on the dimensions of the airplane.
An operator says it could possibly be increased when one requests for a much bigger luxurious jet, which may carry as much as 11 passengers like Challenger or Beechcraft Hawker with as much as 13 passengers’ capability.
As well as, a constitution Embraer ERJ 145 for example, with a 50-passenger capability, may even value extra relying on the variety of ready hours on the vacation spot airport.
Additionally, it was gathered that consistent with the business requirement, the personal jet operators cost 3,000 {dollars} per hour, relying on the airline after touchdown on the airport.
“If it’s a two-leg journey – from side to side, you’ll pay 3,000 {dollars} per hour as touchdown and parking costs. It could begin studying after the primary three hours. The fees fluctuate from airways,” an aviation skilled mentioned.
Evaluation of reported journeys of the governors as at yesterday confirmed that Governor Wike has visited 20 states together with Kaduna, Edo, Kogi, Lagos, Katsina, Kano, Ekiti, Ondo and Cross River all by air utilizing personal jets.
It’s nonetheless not clear whether or not he’s chattering the planes or utilizing these belonging to Rivers State.
The Rivers State governor who’s eyeing the presidential ticket of the PDP has additionally visited Ebonyi, Adamawa, Plateau, Anambra, Niger, Imo, Ogun, Oyo, Bayelsa, Benue and Kebbi states utilizing personal jets.
Like his Rivers State counterpart, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State has visited 20 states.
Tambuwal, who can also be eyeing the PDP presidential ticket has been to Taraba, Borno, Yobe, Kogi, Niger, Gombe, Kaduna and Zamfara States.
The Sokoto governor has additionally flown to Plateau, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Imo, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Kogi, FCT, Ogun and Osun States.
On his half, the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has visited 16 states in the midst of his presidential campaigns. Fayemi, who chairs the Nigerian Governors’ Discussion board (NGF), needs to select the presidential ticket of the APC.
The states visited by Fayemi are; Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba, Kano, Nasarawa, Benue, Kebbi, Sokoto, Rivers, Anambra, Ogun, Osun and Ondo.
Coming subsequent to Fayemi, is the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed. Not like Fayemi, Mohammed is eyeing the ticket of the PDP. Even if he’s a primary time period governor, he’s deeply engrossed in his presidential ambition.
States visited by the Bauchi governor, who is alleged to have additionally picked the governorship types of the PDP embody; FCT, Anambra, Enugu, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Oyo, Kaduna, Niger, Jigawa, Taraba and Katsina.
To this point, the Akwa Ibom Governor, Emmanuel Udom, has visited six states together with Plateau, Katsina, Edo, Oyo, Cross River and Gombe. He is without doubt one of the 15 contenders cleared for the PDP presidential primaries.
In the meantime, Day by day Belief couldn’t set up the variety of journeys embarked upon by the Cross River, Jigawa, Kogi and Ebonyi States governors.