…Commissions two new Ibom Airbuses

…Says PDP governors believe Nigeria must work

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governors Forum (PDP-GF), Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto has observed that although aviation is on the Exclusive List in the Nigerian constitution, the federal government had only been singing about national carrier.

Speaking at the reception ceremony of two new airbuses (SU-GFA and SU GFD) A220-300, acquired by Akwa Ibom government, to add to the fleet of Ibom Air on Sunday, Tambuwal noted that while the FG had not walked the talk, the PDP-led Akwa Ibom state government had achieved the feat.

“In the Nigerian constitution, Aviation is on the exclusive list, but since the inception of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, the government has been talking of a national carrier which has not materialized, whereas the PDP-led Akwa Ibom state government has achieved the feat.

“I and the PDP are very well pleased with governor Udom Emmanuel. We congratulate you for the works you are doing in all facets of life in the state,” the Sokoto governor said.

According to Tambuwal, all the governors of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the country firmly trust that the country will not fail under the party’s watch if it is voted into power in 2023.

He added that the demonstration of this is evident in the manner the PDP governors were delivering dividends of democracy in their respective states by “working on infrastructure development.

“I am very proud of the PDP governors. I believe we will continue to do well in our respective states,” he stressed.

Responding, Governor Emmanuel described the purchase of the aircraft as “the latest development in the aviation sector in this part of the world.

“This s a milestone in the aviation industry. Never has a state owned an airline in the whole of Africa,” the governor, whose state Ibom Air already has a fleet of five aircraft emphasized.

He pointed out that his administration is being “favoured by God to do what we took oath to do- sparing nothing to develop our people.”

He revealed that the state government, which owns 100% of Ibom Air, is going into the big business of getting ten more aircrafts before leaving office, saying: “there will be a time when Nigeria will be in distress and Akwa Ibom will raise its hope.”

He also added that there will be a time when the APC  will fail, “as it is already doing; and, the PDP will take over.”

In his goodwill message, Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa state applauded his counterpart, saying: “this is unprecedented history making by Gov. Udom for growing the aviation sector and unlocking the already locked economy of the nation.”

Other dignitaries at the reception were the governors of Enugu and Rivers state, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Ezenwo Nyesom Wike; the Deputy Governor of Zamfara state, Barrister Mahdi Aliyu Gusau and the Director-General of the PDP-GF, C.I.D. Maduabum.