APC leader Akanimo Udofia accuses Akwa Ibom government of lying on Ibom Air

A leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, Akanimo Udofia, has accused the Akwa Ibom State government of lying about how Ibom Air, an airline owned by the state government, was designed.

He also challenged the state government to deal with the ownership, financing and profitability of Ibom Air.

Mr. Udofia, an entrepreneur with an interest in oil and gas, was recently sacked by a Federal High Court, Uyo, as a candidate for APC governorship in Akwa Ibom State. The court also banned him from participating in a new primary.

The People's Democratic Party is the ruling party in this oil-rich state.

In a statement released by his campaign organization on Tuesday, Udofia said he conceived the idea for Ibom Air in 2012, shared it with Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio, which he said incorporated the airline on Feb. 21. , 2013.

"...Records show that Ibom Airlines Limited was incorporated on February 21, 2013 by Governor Godswill Akpabio, after our director shared the idea of ​​an airline with him in 2012. In 2013, Mr. Udom was still on staff at Zenith Bank and cannot take credit for conceptualizing Ibom Airlines,” said the statement signed by Imo Akpan, lawyer and spokesperson for campaign organization Akan Udofia.

The campaign organization claimed that Mr. Akpabio, while still governor, visited Bombardier's facilities in Toulouse, France to "explore" how to bring Ibom's idea "to life" Air.

The campaign further claimed that then-Governor Akpabio sponsored 32 people from Akwa Ibom overseas for air traffic control training.

“These graduates are now working at several airports in Nigeria,” he added.

"Obong Akan Udofia went on to train the first original female pilot Akwa Ibom.

“Our 2019 Manager continued to play a key role in liaising with aviation authorities to obtain Air Traffic Control (ATC) status for Obong Attah International Airport. This has resulted in our state being the hub of ATC in Nigeria today. »

Government position

The Akwa Ibom State Government, in a recent statement by Attorney General and Justice Commissioner Uko Udom, dismissed as false Mr. Udofia's claim that he conceived the idea of 'Ibom Air.

The idea of ​​Ibom Air was conceived and executed by Governor Udom Emmanuel, the government said.

The government, which has threatened legal action, said the APC leader had no "ownership interest" in the airline, reputed to be one of Nigeria's best.

Mr. Udofia, in his campaign statement, denied ever claiming ownership of Ibom Air.

"Rather than frequenting roadside gossip, surfing social media and making baseless threats, the Akwa Ibom State Attorney General needs to do more. It needs to go further and address the issue of ownership, financing and maintenance cost of the planes in the fleet, as the people of Akwa Ibom are interested in the profitability of the business,” the campaign said. .Udofia.

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