Reno Omokri under fire over comment on new presidential jet

By Dotun Omisakin

Some Nigerians have criticised social media influencer, Reno Omokri, over his comment on the newly acquired Presidential jet.

The criticism stems from a piece which Omokri, former social media aide to Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, wrote in reaction to a comparative analysis which Daily Trust online published on Tuesday.

One of the major reasons the presidency put forward for acquisition of the new jet is the age of the aircraft, which was purchased under former President Olusegun Obasanjo 19 years ago.

But experts who spoke with our reporters said the age of an aircraft does not matter but maintenance.

Checks by Daily Trust showed that Air Force One, the aircraft of the world’s most powerful president, is 34 years old and has been used by six different presidents.

This newspaper had run checks and got reactions of experts in the story, which Omokri, a latter day defender of President Bola Tinubu, found offensive.

Accusing Daily Trust of mischief, Omokri claimed this newspaper took on President Bola Tinubu because he is a Southerner.

“Please fact-check me: You deliberately omitted to tell your readers that the U.S. has ordered a new Air Force One from Boeing, at the cost of $3.9 billion, which is over 300 times the cost of Nigeria’s new Presidential Jet. You also failed to inform your readers that it costs $177,843 an hour and $2,964 every minute for the US Air Force to maintain the current Air Force one that President Biden uses, which, when you calculate the yearly cost is more than the $100 million Nigeria spent on the new Presidential Jet.”

“Finally, you additionally failed to tell your readers that the Presidential Aircraft that crashed and killed President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran was an old one, and that it was better serviced than Nigeria’s old Presidential Jets. Daily Trust, what do you want to achieve by this mischievous reportage filled with half-truths? You have a nasty habit of attacking every Southern President. You did the same things to Presidents Obasanjo and Jonathan, deliberately suppressing information and projecting only propaganda that would undermine their administrations. Yet, you spent eight years being General Buhari’s apologists. What is your agenda? Do you want President Tinubu to die like President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran? God forbid! #TableShaker“

However, his post generated divergent views from his followers with the majority criticizing him for defending what appeared to be a Presidential profligacy.

He should compare apples with apples not apples with peanuts. What is the size of the two economies? What is the affordability like between the countries? When he’s done washing dishes and cleaning toilets he might just go and do some fact checking. Supporting Buhari? Where did this one come from? If Daily Ttust mollycoddled Buhari why was it raided and closed twice by Buhari?” a social media user wrote.

Abdulrashid Habib with the handle @pARasheedH1 wrote, “By your so called facts isn’t it wiser for the president to use chartered or commercial flight whenever he is to travel out for the meantime till the economy bounce back to shape as part of his sacrifice. Remember he asked the poor citizens to persevere in pain.”

Yakub Tijani @YakubTijani2 wrote:
“What a country filled with many embedded vested interests. As for me, I am done defending the president because the process leading to this acquisition was manipulative.”

Another commentator Oluseun @Popcilu said, “My question is, can you compare Nigeria to the US in terms of economic growth?

Similarly King1729 with the handle @ighok1729 wrote: “The U.S. economy is approximately $24 trillion. Nigeria’s economy is less than $500 billion. The net worth of some U.S. airports alone matches the total size of Nigeria’s foreign reserves.”

Another respondent with the handle @baabajnr said, “But @renoomokri if the Nigerian government had taken care of the needs of the citizens before buying the jet no one will complain, if our roads are good, our schools, our hospital, inflation is low, fuel is available and considerably cheap no one will complain.”

Julius Ogedengbe @Jogedengbe also in response to Reno’s “fact-check” wrote: “Mr Omokri nobody wishes the President’s plane to crash but at the same time compare the cost of Air force one to USA GDP then compare Nigeria’s GDP to the cost of the plane bought. This is not the best of times to purchase that. On this, daily trust is right.”

A handle by the name @tweetbyabba said, “Please fact-check me too, Is the rate of poverty in America the same in Nigeria or is Nigeria’s GDP higher than America’s.”

Another user @headoption said, “This Reno… the US plane is still in use abi not but Nigeria government abandoned their own to buy another after spending billions VP house and still have to borrow money telling Nigeria that we should be patient I no even add the new car…”

“Whatever it is Reno is looking for I pray he finds it, because this new defense ehn e get as e be,” another user @Mrmarcelpen said.

“All what you have said still didn’t invalidate the fact the US presidential plane is about 34yrs old . You are comparing the cost of maintaining the Air Force One with our presidential plane as if we and US na mate. Oya compare our GDP with theirs,” said another user @Oryauii.

However, some netizens who aligned with Reno, insisted the President deserves a sound and fit Presidential plane befitting of his status. They also joined in pouring invectives on Daily Trust.

@KING_SEGZZY said, “Even if #PBAT decide to Trek, people will criticise him for wearing shoe, they will bash him for not walking bare-footed. Hatred for Tinubu is power – packed and still powered from Kainji Dam through 100MM cables bought from Russia. Na God dey run him matter else…..(sic).”

A user with the handle @mariodimmy said, “Thank you sir for the information….I admire the way you exposed @ daily trust.”

@sogooyewale said, “@daily_trust, desist from disseminating half-truth. Your job is to be non-partisan and air expedient information at full pelt always. Do the right thing and have your readers increase, do otherwise and see the reaction.”