ABUJA — Investigative journalist Fejiro Oliver has sparked public debate following detailed allegations regarding the private aviation logistics of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, claiming the legislative chief utilizes a high-end Gulfstream G500 aircraft under a costly international lease agreement.
Writing in a public commentary, Oliver stated that the business jet—allegedly co-owned by former Delta State Governor Chief James Onanefe Ibori and late Access Bank CEO Mr. Herbert Wigwe—is operated for the Senate President under an ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) wet lease arrangement.
Key Financial & Operational Allegations Raised
Oliver outlined the specific operational costs associated with maintaining and flying the private jet:
- $7 Million Annual ACMI Lease: Under the terms of an ACMI contract, the lessor provides the aircraft, flight crew, maintenance, and insurance, costing an estimated $7 million annually.
- Variable Aviation Overhead: Beyond the base lease, the lessee is responsible for variable operational expenses, including fueling, inflight catering, overflight permits, hangarage, and airport handling fees.
- Hourly Fuel & Route Expenses: Oliver claimed that fueling the Gulfstream G500 costs between $2,800 and $3,200 per flight hour for a jet capable of 10 hours of non-stop travel.
- Foreign Registration Handling Fees: Because the aircraft is registered outside Nigeria, Oliver noted that local take-off charges run around $2,000, landing fees range from $300 to $500 per stop, while international departures incur take-off charges between $3,000 and $5,000.
Critique of Public Expenditure
Comparing wet-leasing versus outright acquisition, Oliver argued that long-term leasing represents an inefficient use of resources over a political tenure:
“In my opinion, it would have been cheaper buying a used G500 than settling for an annual wet lease like this, given that they’ll keep paying $7m on this jet annually till his tenure elapses. A used Gulfstream G500 like this costs between $35m & $45m.”
AIRCRAFT TYPE: Gulfstream G500
ALLEGED OWNERSHIP: Chief James Ibori & Late Herbert Wigwe
CONTRACT TYPE: ACMI (Wet Lease)
ESTIMATED COST: ~$7,000,000 annually (excluding fuel, permits & landing fees)
Official Response Pending
Neither the Office of the Senate President nor representatives for the aircraft’s operators have issued a formal response to the claims. Standard procedures within the National Assembly typically provide logistics coverage through state agencies or approved procurement channels, though public interest groups continue to press for transparency regarding executive and legislative charter expenditures.
