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Abuja airport deserted in spite of elections’ postponement

By Abisola THOMPSON

In spite of postponement of Presidential and National Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) late Friday night, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was deserted on Saturday.

TBI Africa said the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that only officials of Aviation Security (AVSEC) and other security agencies were seen in some locations at the airport.

Airlines’ counters were completely empty because of lack of flight schedules in compliance with Federal Government’s order stopping aviation activities until after the elections expected to hold on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the airlines have described the situation at the airports as “part of national sacrifice’’ but expressed disappointment over the postponement of the polls.

Communication Manager of Air Peace, Mr Christian Iwarah, said that the airline had about five days ago sent messages to all its customers to inform them of the cancellation of all fights on Saturday.

Iwarah said that there would be no flight at all on Saturday as the postponement of the polls was announced “too late for the airline to consider rescheduling of flights for today’’.

He added that all the pilots, engineers and cabin crew members were already off duty, saying “flight has standard procedures that must be followed because it is not bus that one can just get up and start driving’’.

“We have sent out messages to our customers since five days ago that there would be no flight today and the postponement came too late that we cannot change what we have sent out.

“It is not just about the passengers; even, the crew because it is not a bus schedule that you just go and pick up your bus.

“Your crew members have to be psychologically fit to do their flights because aviation is a highly regulated area and so they must be in compliance with the rules before they can operate a flight.
“We cannot say because of the money, we should just go and bring them back,’’ he said.

Iwarah said that since the restriction was going to happen on Feb. 23, the new date for the elections, Air Peace would have no option than to continue to make the sacrifice for the nation.

According to him, this is the sacrifice that the airline has to make by complying with the restriction of movement on day of election because they are law-abiding citizens.

An official of the airport management, who pleaded anonymity, said that no flight was expected to operate on Saturday even though the elections had been postponed.

Meanwhile, the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Expressway leading to the Airport was deserted in spite of the postponement of the elections.

Many commuters who wanted to get to somewhere in the Federal capital, were stranded on the road as cabs and tricycles were off the road in obedience to the movement restriction.
NAN also observed that scores of armed policemen and soldiers were in strategic places along the expressway waiting for the arrival of President Muhammadu Buhari from Daura.

Buhari is expected in Abuja to attend the meeting of political stakeholders and INEC over the re-scheduling of the elections.

 

 

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