Guardian

FOLLOWING the detention of Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s flight by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) last weekend, the Deputy Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Festus Ebea, said the Edo people demand apology from the agency for embarrassing the governor.

The agency had delayed the pilot of AOS helicopter, which was supposed to fly Oshiomhole from Benin to Akwa, Anambra State, demanding his official documentation.

Speaking with journalists in Benin City Sunday, Ebea said the action was not proper, wondering: “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. That was a big embarrassment to the governor and the people of Edo State.”

The Deputy Speaker, who is also an aviator, condemned the claim that the Oshiomhole was delayed for 10 minutes, explaining that the governor was kept waiting for over an hour.

Explaining why the pilot did not file his manifest before flying, Ebea said the authority should have allowed the plane to land at its destination since it was within the country and afterwards, every necessary action taken against the pilot.

He further argued that the NAMA officials, by their action, have given room for political interpretations to the issue by orchestrating the whole thing to make it look politically motivated.