Governor Adams Oshiomhole has vowed to go to court and challenge any authority which seeks to infringe on his fundamental human rights if his right to movement from one place to another within the country is violated again.
Speaking on Thursday when the management of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Benin Airport Branch paid him a visit to apologise over the recent incident at the Benin Airport where his chartered helicopter was stopped from flying, the governor who said he had direct contact with President Goodluck Jonathan following the incident said “I’m convinced that he (President) didn’t give those orders that I should be stopped.”
He said: “the next time I’m so interrupted, I will not fail to go to court and challenge the infringement on my fundamental right to movement. We need to strengthen our democracy. We need breathe air to our multi-party democracy.”
He advised the airport authorities to shun partisan politics and insist on professionalism, saying “it will be a sad day if the management of a sensitive institution that has to do with air safety joins the club of politicians and political actors.
“I am saying this from my experience over the cause of my stewardship here. Twice my chartered chopper has been stopped by your agents and the airport authority for reasons that have nothing to do with professional judgment but purely for partisan political reason.”
While apologising over the grounding of his chartered helicopter, the Airspace Manager, Benin Airport, Mr. Ibekwe Ikechi said “if things have happened before, let it be in the past, please.”
He sought a cordial working relationship with the government of the state with a view to further improve on the operations at the Benin Airport.
