Peace Olatunji

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has described the seizure of aircraft in Nigeria’s Presidential Air Fleet as an international embarrassment.

He made this known in a statement on his handle via X on Thursday, 15th August, 2024.

Recall that the jets were seized by a French court due to a contract dispute between the Ogun State Government and a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited.

Reacting to this development, the guest analyst on the Diamond Breakfast Show, Dr. Ibrahim Salawo expressed his disappointment and concern that fears about the terms and conditions of loans from China that are now becoming a reality. He also criticized the Nigerian government’s eagerness to accept these loans without proper scrutiny, warning that the consequences are now manifesting.

Dr. Salawu stated “It’s actually very unfortunate, quite disheartening and it goes on to show that some of the fears we in the academia and some parts of the media had expressed over the terms and conditions related, tied to some of the loans being procured, you know, from different parts of the world, especially China some of these fears are beginning to crystallize now, reservations have actually greeted, whatever loan was coming.”

“The kind of olive branch china and some of her entrepreneurs have waved to Nigeria and the way Nigerian government at sub national level and even at national level has gone to procure some of these loans without letting us know the terms and conditions, the legal implications of some of the agreements they were going into”, he added.

The university don highlighted the need for transparency in government and the need to re-avaluate the relationship between Nigeria and some countries from middle east and south east Asia.

Dr. Salawu also expressed his concerns about China’s lending practices and terms in Africa and the need for a transparent and lawful approach to resolve the issue, rather than using the same questionable tactics that led to the problem.

“It’s an ambush and we must not use the same ambush approach to sort this out. let us come out clean sort it out within the ambience of the law, international law this time around, and Nigeria’s image can be restored”, he said.

He then appealed that all diplomatic channels between France, China, and Nigeria be utilized to resolve the current issue, implying a collaborative and multi-lateral approach to finding a solution.

In response to the recent fire incident that occurred in the Akerebiata area of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, where a housemaid reportedly set ablaze a four-bedroom flat of her employer, while trying to lit a cooking gas.

Dr. Salawo advised Kwarans to take precautionary measure while cooking with gas and emphasised on the importance of sensitivity before, during and after cooking in the kitchen.”

I don’t encourage kids in the kitchen. Whenever, you choose to use the cooking gas please endeavor to check and double check that their no leakage before lighting the matches” he stressed.

Edited by Joseph EMERIBE