Senate President Godswill Akpabio has raised concerns over the shortage of private jets available for politicians preparing for the 2027 general elections.
He said he and other politicians were finding it difficult to hire private aircraft for their campaign activities because local airline operators could not meet the growing demand for air travel.
Akpabio spoke during Tuesday’s plenary as senators considered a motion calling for the enforcement of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and China.
Pointing to the pressure on airlines during the December festive period, he urged the Federal Government to step in and support domestic operators.
“Watch December and the confusion. Even the private airlines cannot handle it. Common campaigns, we cannot see even private jets to hire. We should at least be able to urge the federal government to look into that to alleviate the plight of airlines,” he said.
The Senate President also remembered the days when Nigeria operated its national carrier, Nigerian Airways, which flew pilgrims to Saudi Arabia and served several other destinations.
He said the airline once had between 32 and 40 aircraft.
“We used to have a plane in those days carrying people to Saudi Arabia and all that. At the time, Nigerian Airways had about 32 planes on ground, about 40, going from one place to the other. So, how did we get here?” he asked.
Akpabio stressed that Nigeria needs a national airline that can proudly fly the country’s flag.
