No preferred bidder for national carrier yet – FG

The Federal Government has said there is no preferred bidder for national carrier, Nigeria Air, yet.

In a statement by James Odaudu director, public affairs, ministry of aviation he stated that the attention of the ministry has been drawn to reports in some media to the effect that Qatar Airways has been chosen as the preferred bidder for Nigeria’s national carrier, ‘Nigeria Air’.

Odaudu said the report, coming just two days after the issuance of a Request For Proposal which was published in local and international news media, is not only false but capable of discrediting the process for the establishment of the airline and discouraging interested parties.

“We wish to state that throughout the process leading to the publication of the request for proposal, the guiding principle has been transparency and accountability which we promised will remain till the final delivery of the project, and by which we stand.

“We wish to state categorically that no corporate entity or individual has been appointed or selected, or even preferred for the project as the process for selection has just started with the Request for Proposal,” Odaudu said.

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He stated that all interested partners and the public have been advised to discountenance the report and proceed with their proposals, adding that the ministry assures bidders of its unalloyed commitment to transparency and accountability till the end of the process.

He added that its driving force is the commitment of the Buhari administration to bequeath to the country a national carrier that Nigerians would be proud of, and our determination and commitment to it remains stoic.

He also appealed to media practitioners to always confirm information from the right quarters before going to press so as to avoid misleading the public as in this particular case.