Buhari Denied Landing At Makurdi Airport; Military Owns Facility – NaAMA By: GODWIN AKOR, Makurdi • Military owns facility – NAMA Members of the All Progressives Party (APC), who gathered at the Makurdi Airport to receive one of the party’s presidential aspirants, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), were yesterday devastated when he was denied landing permit by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), some minutes to the time he was supposed to land. Buhari had left Bayelsa for Makurdi to hold consultations with the party’s delegates in preparation for its presidential primaries slated for December 10 but all of a sudden, party officials, party supporters and Buhari’s loyalists who had gathered in their hundreds at the airport were told to disperse. State chairman of APC, Comrade Abba Yaro, told newsmen the development was a total disgrace and wondered why a notable figure like Buhari would not be allowed to land at the Makurdi Airport for no justifiable reason, maintaining that party officials would hold a meeting on the strange situation and address journalists accordingly. State Organizing Secreatry of APC, Titus Zam, told our correspondent that detail of reasons behind FAAN’s refusal to grant Buhari landing permit in Makurdi was not made known to the party. A source at Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) said the Makurdi Airport is a military airport and, therefore, could not comment on the development. However, attempt at getting FAAN’s reaction proved abortive, as its agent declined comments, insisting that aircraft operations is within the purview of NAMA, moreso the airport is a military base. When our correspondent sought to speak with staff of FAAN, they declined comment, even as APC supporters were seen leaving the premises of the airport with long faces. In another development, Buhari, explaining why he is in the 2015 presidential race on the platform of APC, said he would galvanise the economy and cause a general turnaround in Nigeria, promising to also provide gainful employment for the jobless. Speaking during a visit to Rivers State to solicit the support of APC national delegates in the state ahead of the party’s presidential primaries in Port Harcourt yesterday, the former head of state bemoaned the infrastructural decay in the country and the poor leadership offered by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). “My message is just to remind all of us about the condition we are in this country and that next year, 2015, is another political watershed in this country. If we allow, by any means, the PDP to continue, I don’t think by the end of their next term of four years, Nigerians can recognise their country, because all you need to do is to compare what state we were in 1999 when PDP took over the centre and most of the states. “In terms of infrastructure, we used Nigerian Airways, we used Nigerian railways, we used Nigerian Shipping Line, even power at that time was relatively stable, more stable than it has been now after spending US$20 billion. “Instead of seeing improvement in infrastructure, in way of life, quality of education, healthcare that immediately concerns the people, everything is going down, so Nigerians must vote PDP out next year. It is a question of survival. If you want our country, you want your son and your grandson to get education, to get healthcare, to get drinking water, to get security, you have to vote PDP out and I am here to ask you for your understanding and support, because the journey of a million miles starts from the first step. “This is what APC is all about. We agreed to come together because we found out, no single political party could make any difference. As I said from 1999 till now, collapse of infrastructure, economy, manufacturing, therefore lack of jobs, therefore crises of all sorts,” Buhari said. Meanwhile, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers has upheld the virtues of Buhari, describing him as a true nationalist, describing him as a good presidential choice for the country to bring about change. Amaechi who earlier addressed the state national delegates of APC, again, refuted claims that the former head of state is a religious fanatic, saying, “When I went to Ignatius Ajuru University yesterday, one young woman got up and said governor, ‘you have convinced me, I will vote for APC, but I have a problem’, and I said, what is your problem? She said ‘they say APC is an Islamic party, it will Islamize Nigeria,’ and I said they are referring to Buhari, so, let me address her straight: Buhari’s driver is a Christian, his cook is a Christian, who else, the most important staff for a big man is his cook before his driver. So, if a man (like Buhari) can insure his life to somebody who does not belong to his religion, how else will he show you that he is not a religious bigot?” “Now, those of us who have known him, we want to present him to you. If he wins primaries, we will present the true Buhari to Nigerians because they need to know that he is a different person from what these selfish politicians have portrayed him to be,” the governor said DAILY INDEPENDENT NOVEMBER 27, 2014
Posted on: Thu, 27 Nov 2014 05:34:31 +0000
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