C-19 CURTAILMENT: NIGERIANS BERATE UNRULY GOVERNORS, APPLAUD SEYI MAKINDE

Engr. Seyi Makinde, Governor of Oyo State and wife

Engr. Seyi Makinde, the Governor of Oyo State, has earned the commendation of the nation’s airport manager, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, and that of the well-meaning aviation stakeholders for displaying exemplary and patriotic attitude worthy of emulation in bringing order, moral rebirth and etiquette back into the values of Nigeria’s society by his gentlemanly conduct at the Port Harcourt Airport, Omagwa, Rivers State. 

The Governor, while at the arrival hall of Port Harcourt International Airport Omagwa, voluntarily complied with all Covid-19 safety protocols as recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, World Health Organization, WHO, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, and their domestication as approved by the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19.

Commenting on the Governor’s exemplary conduct, Engr. Makinde Akinwunmi, commended the governor for displaying an honourable conduct befitting of a governor of one of the most civilized states in Africa.

Among those who showered encomium on Governor Makinde is an engineer in aeronautics, Anselem Nwokolo, who said such humility was a reflection of a true leader imbued with character and humility to positively influence the society. 

In the same vein, the airport manager, FAAN, had raised alarm over the unsavory conduct of some Governors, one serving and the other, a former Governor in constituting threat to public health by their disdain for the Covid-19 health protocol at the airports.

Hence, FAAN placed the conduct of the affected Governors, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Alhaji Ahmadu UmarFintiri, of Adamawa State and the former Governor of Zamfara, Alhaji AbdulAziz Yari, in the peoples’ court for their verdict on the conduct of those public figures expected to be epitome of all that is noble.

In the official twitter handle of FAAN, it was reported that, “The Management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) hereby strongly condemns the conduct of the Governor of Adamawa state, Alhaji Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, who arrived Port Harcourt international Airport aboard aircraft 5N-IZY, at 17:08 hrs on 14th July 2020, with 8 others, and who flagrantly refused to observe the Airport Security and Public Health protocols as directed by the Federal Government through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on #COVID19 by refusing to have his temperature checked, or being sanitized by the health….officials.

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From the report in FAAN’s twitter handle, it further revealed that Governor Fintiri’s “whole entourage of 8 did exactly as he did. The team that came to receive them drove right through the barricades up to the terminal building ignoring traffic and Aviation Security instructions”

As to the rationale for adopting the new layered biosecurity by the air transport industry globally, and the consequences of reneging, FAAN explained implications of the recalcitrant Governors’ action in its twitter handle thus, “This irresponsible act endangers all other airport users, it is unacceptable, and as such it has also been duly escalated”.

The statement therefore warned that, “FAAN hereby cautions all airport users, especially our esteemed VIPs, to please respect the Presidential directive by observing airport Security and Public Health travel protocols put in place to protect all air travelers against acts of unlawful interference, infection and the spread of the covid-19 pandemic”.

Rightly As expected, Nigerians from all works of life responded to the conduct of the Governors and the methodology of the airport managers for achieving moral suasion in complying to the New Normal at the airports, which Covid-19 plague have forced aviation to contend with.

The DirDirector General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Capt Musa Nuhu, once said the seemingly long time it took to open the nation’s sky was not because of air safety, but for the immense challenge of instituting the Covid-19 safety protocols and related paraphernalia for airport and airlines to make it compelling for passengers to voluntary comply

Here is an abridged thread of the discussion on the unruly behaviour of VIPs still trending on FAAN’s twitter:

@hadis@sirikaThanks so much for the great job. Travelled from Lagos to Abuja today. Excellent adherence to covid 19 protocol laced with quality services. Thanks

@Peter65443512The leaders have always been the problem of this nation. He acted as if he’s above the law and I think he should be punished for that.

@OmoEyero Once a governor can be lawless then what do we expect from the governed? People in leadership position think too much about themselves and always above the law. They never set good example. Shior

@garun malam He should be restricted from flying simple By the time he travels from P. H to Yola by road he will be forced to do the right thing

@MyNAMEisMERCYG U said u guys fought who? Both Fintiri and Abdulaziz Yari with their entourage disobeyed the WHO rules and nothing happened. https://premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/403033-covid-19-faan-berates-former-nigerian-governor-for-violating-airport-protocols.html

U guys will come online and be barking, if it’s ordinary citizens una go dey flex muscles with them.

@Echi_di_imeThe same Rubbish you posted yesterday concerning the former Zamfara Governor, you guys just keep typing trash without any action

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@DamilareOgbera You can just imagine the utter irresponsibility these governors are displaying already. Shame on you

@NGRPresident FAAN should deal decisively with them. What impudence

@kazmopolitan So what exactly would you do, if you were the president? Would you flog them ? ..these are adults in leadership roles ooo..! Abeg tell us what to do so we can tell Baba Bubu.

@The_Ebira_Girl Nobody is above the law Can’t you get him arrested???

@kameel___A governor has immunity and as such he can’t be ARRESTED….

@tayo_awolola FAAN please be a responsible Government entity. What we are expecting you to post is that a governor or former governor of so so so State was denied entry into the aircraft for disobeying government laid down protocols on safety. Enough of this madness. Nobody is above the law

@SimplyTEEWHY Again, you have been telling us of escalating when it comes to these kinds of people. Would that have been the case if it were the ordinary Nigerian who actually fund their extravagant and rude lifestyles? Why can’t you subject them to same treatment? STOP ESCALATING!!!

@einegedu Rather than cry to us on Twitter, you can at least stop them from boarding or flying for failure to observe pre-flight protocols. Immunity does not extend to flying…

@Aloyebaba Like I said yesterday, escalation alone won’t stop these power infected, brain dead leaders we have in our society, they are just an expression of who we have built our society to be,an oppressive state. We need equality before the law to stop this rubbish

@Enetomhe Stephen.He should have been arrested or detained to miss his flight, no one is supposed to be above the law. Escalating the event without consequences isn’t a solution or deterrence to others.

However, by the aggregate of opinions as contributed by real men and women of honour, It is fervently hoped that enforcement of these safety protocols should be achieved with a more solid legislative instrument more than present moral suasion being employed.

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