Lawmaker asks NAMA to apologise to Edo govt for disrupting Oshiomhole’s flight

Festus Ebea, deputy speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, has asked the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to apologise to the people and government of Edo State for disrupting the flight of Governor Adams Oshiomhole unnecessarily last weekend on his way to Akwa Ibom in a chartered aircraft.

Speaking to airport reporters, Ebea said it was unfair for the governor to have been allegedly recalled in a chartered aircraft, adding that the control tower ought to have waited and allowed the aircraft to arrive its destination before taking any action against the pilot.

“It is not proper, knowing that it was a chartered flight carrying the governor; why not wait to deal with the issue later. The government of Edo State demands apology from the management of NAMA officials. That was a big embarrassment to the governor and the people of Edo State”.

The deputy speaker, who is an aviator, condemned the claim that the governor was delayed for ten minutes, explaining that he was kept for more than one hour.

On why the pilot did not file in his manifest before flying, Ebea said the authority would have allowed the plane to land at its destination since it was within the country.

“This is a chartered plane; it’s not flying the governor out of the country. Is it the flight plan that will give the aircraft passage? What they would have done is to call Asaba and get the pilot arrested and inform the governor reasons for the action”.

But NAMA explained at the weekend that its action was purely professional and had no political undertone.