Patience Jonathan Did Not Cause Plane Crash Says Federal Government of Nigeria
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| The Dame herself |
Just as millions of Nigerians are still soaked in mourning and yet to get over the shock of the DANA plane crash which occurred on Sunday 3rd of June, 2012, a controversy was brewing over the alleged closure of the airspace for the nation's First Lady and Wife of the President, Dame PATIENCE JONATHAN which eventually led to the crash.
It was alleged that a jet from the Presidential Fleet ferrying the First Lady caused the airspace to be closed for the Dame to land in Lagos on Sunday. According to the rumour mill, the closure of the airspace did not allow the pilot of the DANA aircraft to make an emergency landing at the airport. The news spread like wildfire on social media (Facebook and Blackberry especially).
However, the Ministry of Aviation, headed by Mrs. Stella Oduah, has debunked all the rumours stating that Dame Patience Jonathan touched down in Lagos on Saturday and not on Sunday as alleged. Therefore, there was no correlation between the plane crash and the First Lady's visit.
The Special Assistant on Media to the Aviation Minister, Mr. Joe Obi confirmed this as follows:
“There is a widely circulating rumour that the airspace was
closed to facilitate the First Lady’s movement and that that
was partly responsible for the Dana plane crash of Sunday
June 3, 2012. The Federal Ministry of Aviation will like to
clarify that nothing could be farther from the truth.
“For the records, we wish state that the First Lady arrived in
Lagos at about 4.45pm on Saturday, 2nd June, 2012 and
only departed for Abuja on Monday, the 4th of June, 2012 at
1.30pm, whereas the ill-fated Dana flight 0992 departed
Abuja on Sunday, 3rd of June, 2012 at 2.54pm and its last
contact with the Lagos Control Tower was at 3.42pm as has
already been announced. We wish to stress that the First
Lady did not fly on Sunday, the 3rd of June, 2012 as is
widely been speculated.”
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| Nigeria's Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah |
We consider it callous, inhuman and devilish for anyone to
have thought of wrapping such national calamity in political
garb by insinuating that the plane crashed because the
airspace was closed for the First Lady’s movement in Lagos.
For the avoidance of doubt, the First Lady arrived Lagos at
about 2pm on Saturday, 2nd June, 2012 for a private
engagement and was billed to leave for Abuja on Monday,
4th June, 2012.
In compliance with her itinerary, the First Lady arrived
Lagos on Saturday. She was at a public event on Sunday
when the accident occurred and promptly abandoned the
ceremony as a mark of respect for the victims and retired to
the State House, Marina. She left Lagos at exactly 13.15hrs on
Monday, 4th June, 2012, according to schedule.
It is therefore surprising that some mischievous persons will
see this moment of National mourning as an opportunity to
blackmail and impugn the First Lady’s integrity.
This is the time for all Nigerians to be sober and pray for the
repose of the souls of the victims and not a time to
subordinate the interests of our nation to narrow self-serving
interests.
Let us all put the interest of the Nation first in whatever we
do.
Mrs. Jonathan had no intention to travel on Sunday and
never did. Like all Nigerians, she has been mourning the
dead.
Signed
Ayo Osinlu
Special Assistant to the President
Office of the First Lady
5th June, 2012
However, the airspace is closed when the President is moving preventing other aircraft from taking off or landing, all in the name of security for the President (???), and that to Iyaniwura makes absolutely no sense. The national airspace is not the Presidential Fleet which belongs to the Presidency (not even the President) and every Nigerian is entitled to freedom of movement. Blocking the airspace or switching off all the lights at an international airport (during Yar'adua's regime) are dramas that occur only in Nigeria as far as I know. Till next time, stay safe and remain blessed!
-IYANIWURA
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