The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has described the grounding of the Rivers State Government's private aircraft by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as a glaring case of political witch-hunt.
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has described the grounding of the Rivers State Government's private aircraft by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as a glaring case of political witch-hunt.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });
NCAA on Saturday announced a ban on the aircraft from flying in Nigeria’s airspace, Acting Director General Benedict Adeyinka saying its clearance certificate has ‘expired.’
On Friday, Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who is in a political tussle with President Jonathan over the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) which Amaechi chairs and Jonathan covets, was temporarily prevented from leaving the Akure Airport in the aircraft, by which he had flown in hours earlier.
At first, a spokesperson for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) told reporters the action was because the pilot had failed to file a flight manifest. Following the ban, with both the NCAA and the FAAN tripping over each other, the clearance certificate theory was put into play.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });
In a statement today in Lagos, the ACN said through its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, which the grounding of the aircraft amounts to gross abuse of national institutions and a pointer to what lies ahead for all perceived enemies of the Jonathan Administration.
It said the worst part of the whole issue is the fact that a body like NCAA, which is supposed to carry out its all-important duties without political interference, but in accordance with stipulated global standards, has now become a tool in the hands of vindictive politicians.
ACN asked: “The questions that arise, therefore, are: Has the clearance certificate for the plane really expired? When did it expire? Was this communicated to the Rivers State Government before the plane was grounded?
"If so, when, and if not, why not? In any case, would the NCAA have acted with so much alacrity if the plane had belonged to a State whose Governor has no political differences with President Jonathan?”
ACN said while the political crisis that has torn apart the PDP and turned the President against his fellow party men is not the business of anyone outside the party, it (ACN) is compelled to speak out when national institutions are now being dragged into what is essentially an ugly ego-fight.
It warned those who are in position of authority to realize that any abuse of national institutions in their quest to settle political scores could bring the house crashing down on all, including those behind such abuses.
Governor Amaechi is critical in Mr. Jonathan’s political calculations because the President knows he cannot hope to get a second term in office if he does not have the support of the NGF.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });