An aviation expert has alleged that over N500 million has been budgeted by some airlines to run a huge media campaign with the sole purpose of killing the Nigeria Air project and tarnishing the integrity of the immediate past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika.
The expert who pleaded anonymity noted that there had been an orchestrated grand plan by some airline operators to run a campaign of calumny against Sirika over his tenacity to float the national carrier, Nigeria Air.
Recall the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) led by the founder of Azman Airline, Dr. Abdulmunaf Yunusa, and the Chairman/CEO of Air Peace Airline, Allen Onyema who is the Vice President AON, have waged a relentless war to frustrate Nigeria Air.
The AON had also taken the l Ministry of Aviation to court and obtained an injunction to stop the process leading to the successful takeoff of the airline.
The association had also written to former President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the Nigeria Air process.
The AON in a letter to the then President wrote: “As your excellency is well aware, the administration will hand over on Monday, May 29, 2023 but the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, is planning to circumvent the court orders on Friday 26th May 2023 being the last working day of this administration and possibly to cover up the various infractions of Nigerian laws, amongst others.”
The association asked the then President to stop the aircraft unveiling or risk “controversies on the action after the administration would have expired.”
“Millions of naira has been set aside for a huge campaign to frustrate Nigeria Air. These same individuals are also bent on dragging the image of the Minister into the mud. This is despite the huge patronage the minister accorded local airlines while he was in office,” it stated.
However, the expert said the minister protected local airlines and worked hard for them to get incentives, which include waivers in duties and VAT on aircraft and spares.
He also ensured they got COVID palliative even when federal government agencies under the Ministry of Aviation didn’t get as much support from the government. Private airlines for a bailout for free brokered by the Minister.