ONDO CRASH: ADC compares funds spent on NAF, maintenance of presidential aircraft

Following the crash of a Nigerian Air Force plane in Ondo, which killed many people, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has questioned how funds spent on maintenance of the force’s fleet are being used.

The party called for an audit of the funds, although they compared funds spent on maintenance of the Nigerian Air Force fleet and funds spent on the Presidential Air Fleet, and said the figures raised questions about the government’s funding priorities.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday and signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party sympathized with the families of those killed in the crash.

ADC described the incident as a tragedy and a disaster but said it would not be conducting an ongoing investigation into the cause of the accident.

However, they called for the maintenance history of the aircraft and other defense equipment to be part of the investigation.

The party said official figures showed that, by December 2025, the Federal Government had spent N4.5 billion, representing about 13 per cent of the N34.71 billion budgeted for the maintenance of Nigerian Air Force aircraft.

In comparison, the ADC said N20.74 billion was allocated for the maintenance of the Presidential Air Fleet, with N20.27 billion, or 97.76 per cent, spent in the same period.

The party said the figure represented a significant disparity in funding for the two fleets.

“While we do not intend to prejudge the ongoing investigation into the causes of this tragic accident, we believe that this sad moment also provides an opportunity to raise, once again, questions about the non-implementation of the defense budget and the continued neglect of military equipment,” the statement said.

According to the party, the maintenance funding gap should be investigated along with other possible factors that may have contributed to the accident.

“Simply put, while the fleet that serves the powerful few gets almost all the kobo it demands, the fleet that serves and protects 200 million Nigerians gets only crumbs,” he said.

ADC said the issue is not about questioning the need for maintenance of aircraft used by the President, but about ensuring that military personnel operating in potentially dangerous conditions also have equipment that is properly maintained.

“The safety of the President is indeed important. But what is also important is the safety of pilots and airmen who risk their lives to defend the country.

“Patriotism does not replace spare parts, and messages of condolence do not replace accountability,” the party said.

ADC urged the government to ensure that the investigation into the crash examines aircraft maintenance records, defense procurement and maintenance practices, as well as actual and budget expenditures.

This specifically calls for an audit of maintenance expenditure and budget expenditure on Nigerian Air Force aircraft.

The aircraft, an ATR-42 operated by the Nigerian Air Force, crashed on Monday in the Igbokoda area of ​​Ondo State while on a routine mission from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos. The crash prompted emergency and recovery operations at the scene.

The cause of the crash was unknown as of Tuesday, and authorities were expected to rely on a formal investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The ADC said the investigation should be allowed to proceed while ensuring that questions surrounding the funding and maintenance of military aircraft are not ignored.

It said that accountability in defense spending is critical not only to determine what happened in the Ondo accident but also to prevent similar incidents and protect military personnel involved in national security operations.