By Nsikak Ukpong
A former Deputy Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and chieftain of the APC, Hon Dr Uwem Udoma has cautioned the PDP in the state against undue politicization of the state owned Ibom Air, insisting that such moves is dangerous and capable of undermining the growth and success of the airline.
Speaking to newsmen in Uyo on Thursday, the former Abak House of Assembly member said, both the state government and the PDP must caution it’s members who castigated the APC State Chairman, Hon Ini Okopido for flying the aircraft belonging to Ibom air, submitting that such actions are not in the best interest of the state and the airline.
He cautioned some pro-PDP media practitioners who feel they are more PDP than some Akwa Ibom indigenes who were also founding members of the PDP before moving to other political platforms, not to destroy the foundation of the state owned airline.
According to the former state legislator, Ibom Air needs the buy-in of all Nigerians and not only Akwa Ibom people to patronize it to break even, become globally competitive and attract more revenue to the Akwa Ibom State Government.
“Ibom Air will be flying to the North, South West and East. Ibom Air will also be flying to APC controlled states to make money and returns to cover maintenance and post profit to the Akwa Ibom State Government who acquired the airline. Let some people within the PDP not use their mouth to destroy such investment that will outlive any government or party if properly managed in line with global best practices”, he said.
The former deputy speaker said, Nigeria today is being controlled by an APC led government at the center but before now, there was a Nigeria, controlled by the PDP and that before the PDP took over Akwa Ibom in 1999, there was once an Akwa Ibom that was controlled by the then NRC. He reminded Akwa Ibom people that Governor Emmanuel is not the first Akwa Ibom Governor and won’t be the last.
“Victor Attah as Governor laid the foundation for the airport, Godswill Akpabio built the airport and brought airlines to fly it and today Udom Emmanuel has launched the Ibom Air. That is what it should be and in the interest of Akwa Ibom,we must all look beyond party or politics. Nobody owns government but the people. Political parties are only vehicles to ride on to power and once elections are over, a leader must see himself as father of all, not to a party as President Buhari has done at the Federal level”.
“If we too in the APC say because we are opposition and as such we won’t support the Akwa Ibom State Government to succeed, we are also going to shoot ourselves in the foot. I am speaking as a senior statesman who has held leadership position in this state long before some of the present political actors came on board. I urge the PDP to stop the politics of bitterness by castigating APC chieftains who patronize Ibom Air because it is counter productive and unreasonable”, he said.
