Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is under fire over his daughter’s use of the nation’s presidential jets for a private function in Bauchi State.
According to Nigerian media, Hanan Buhari was invited by the Emir of Bauchi, Rilwanu Adamu, as a special guest in private ‘durbar’ event on Thursday, January 9.
The recently graduated first-class Ravensbourne University alumnus is said to have flown to the state in northeast Nigeria in style and was welcomed by Gombe officials.
Hanan, at the ‘durbar’, reportedly put her photography skills to use and took pictures of the traditional ceremony, Bauchi architecture and other cultural sites in the state.
When pictures of her disembarking from the plane surfaced online, however, Nigerians reacted sharply with many pouring cold water on the 2020 budget of N8.5bn for the presidential jets.
Responding to the criticisms in a statement, the presidency noted that members of President Buhari’s family have rights to use the presidential jets.
A move disputed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who called on the head of state to apologize to Nigerians.
“Our party holds that Mr. President should apologise for approving that his daughter uses the Presidential jet just for the purpose of allegedly taking photographs in a Durbar event in Bauchi State,” the statement read in part.
But according to Sahara Reporters, ‘the President, First Lady, Vice-President, Senate President, Speaker, Chief Justice of Nigeria, former presidents and presidential delegations are only allowed to use the presidential jet’.
