ADC Calls for Audit After Ondo Plane Crash

The African Democratic Congress has asked for an audit of money spent on maintaining Nigerian Air Force aircraft. This comes after Monday’s crash of an ATR-42 aircraft in Igbokoda, Ondo State.

The opposition party is questioning the difference between the money spent on the Nigerian Air Force fleet and what is spent on the Presidential Air Fleet. They believe this raises concerns about how the government prioritizes its funding.

In a statement from Abuja on Tuesday, signed by Bolaji Abdullahi, the party expressed sympathy for the families of those who died in the crash.

The ADC called the incident tragic and unfortunate but said they would not jump to conclusions about the crash's cause. They also want the maintenance history of the aircraft and other military equipment to be part of the investigation.

The party pointed out that, as of December 2025, the Federal Government had released N4.5 billion, which is about 13 percent of the N34.71 billion budgeted for maintaining Nigerian Air Force aircraft. In comparison, the ADC noted that N20.74 billion was set aside for the Presidential Air Fleet, with N20.27 billion, or 97.76 percent, already released during the same time.

They said these numbers show a big difference in funding between the two fleets. "While we do not intend to prejudice ongoing investigations into the cause of this tragic crash, we believe that this sad moment also provides an opportunity to raise, yet again, questions about the non-implementation of the defence budget and the perennial neglect of military equipment," the statement said.

The party added that the gap in maintenance funding should be looked into, along with other factors that might have caused the crash. "Put simply, while the fleet that serves a handful of people in power got almost every kobo it asked for, the fleet that serves and protects 200 million Nigerians was left with crumbs," they stated.

The ADC emphasized that this issue is not about questioning the need to maintain the President's aircraft. It is important that military personnel working in dangerous conditions also have well-maintained equipment.

"The safety of the President matters. But what also matters is the safety of the pilots and airmen who put their lives on the line in defence of the country."

They added, "Patriotism does not replace spare parts, and condolence messages do not take the place of accountability." The ADC urged the government to ensure that the crash investigation looks into the aircraft’s maintenance records, procurement practices, and budget spending.

They specifically called for an audit of the spending on maintenance and budget releases for Nigerian Air Force aircraft. The ATR-42 operated by the Nigerian Air Force crashed on Monday while on a routine flight from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos. Emergency and recovery operations were carried out at the site.

As of Tuesday, the cause of the crash had not been identified, and officials are expected to carry out a formal investigation to clarify what happened.

The ADC stated that the investigation should proceed without interference while also making sure that questions about funding and maintenance of military aircraft are addressed. They believe accountability in defence spending is crucial not just to find out what caused the Ondo crash but also to prevent similar incidents and protect military personnel involved in national security.