Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, described as ridiculous attempt to link him Naira Marley’s “non-compliant flight,” saying he has not travelled out of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, since March 22.
Fashola stated this in his reaction to a letter written by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Executive Jets Services Limited, Sam Iwuajoku, over circumstances surrounding a Lagos-Abuja-flight operated last weekend.
Recall that the Federal Government suspended the airline for flying a musician, Azeez Fashola aka Naira Marley, and his team to Abuja for a concert.
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika had announced the suspension during a Presidential Task Force briefing in Abuja on Monday.
But the Chairman of the airline wrote a letter of apology to Sirika, saying he gave the approval for the flight thinking the passenger was Fashola.
The minister in his reaction on Tuesday in a statement by his Special Adviser on Communications, Hakeem Bello, said, “The attention of the Office of the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola SAN, has been drawn to a letter signed by the Chairman/CEO of Executive Jets Services Limited, Dr Sam Iwuajoku, concerning a flight it operated to Abuja last weekend.
“For purposes of clarity and in order to set the records straight, the Hon. Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, has not travelled out of Abuja since March 22, 2020, when he returned there after an inspection tour of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway construction work and a visit to Lagos, before the lockdown.
“The decision of the Hon. Minister not to travel was taken in strict compliance with the Federal Government’s ban on inter-state travels as part of efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is therefore ridiculous for Dr Iwuajoku to attempt to link the Hon. Minister with any non-compliant flight.”