THE Nigerian upper house of parliament has approved 5.5bn naira ($45.8m) to President Olusegun Obasanjo for the purchase of a new presidential aircraft. Last month, Obasanjo asked for Senate approval of the supplementary budget for the purchase of a presidential Gulf Stream V aircraft. The parliament had late last year refused to approve a plan by Obasanjo to buy a new aircraft to replace his present one, bought during the civilian regime of Shehu Shagari (1979-83). – AFP