However, the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday urged Nigerians to regard the 63rd independence anniversary as a wake-up call to stand in defense of democracy, rule of law, respect for human rights and transparency in governance.
National publicity secretary of PDP, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, said the ruling APC had reversed all the gains made by the country’s founding fathers as well as the achievements recorded by the PDP in its 16 years in government.
The party, while felicitating with Nigerians on the occasion of the 63rd Independence Anniversary of the nation, congratulated them for “surviving the eight years and four months dreadful administrations of the APC.”
“The 63rd Independence Anniversary therefore serves as a wake-up call to all Nigerians and lovers of freedom all over the world to stand in defence of democracy, rule of law, respect for human rights and transparency in the governance of our country,” he said.
According to the party, the APC got into power by lies, deceit and propaganda and has resorted to violence, brazen rigging of elections, violation of the principle of separation of powers, as evidenced in the harassment and intimation of judicial officers, bullying of the Legislature and corruption of electoral institution to perpetuate itself in power.
“It is agonizing that our once secure nation has been opened up to terrorist elements and bandits imported by the APC as confessed by one of its leaders, to assist the APC to violently rig elections in Nigeria. Today, sadly our dear nation ranks as one of the highest in the World Terrorism Index with over 20,000 citizens reportedly killed and many more maimed, dislocated and displaced under the APC.
“Out of sheer greed, incompetence and corruption, the APC has wrecked our productive sectors and turned our once economically thriving nation, (with Fitch BB rating under the PDP administration) into the poverty capital of the world, with an alarming 40% unemployment rate and where over 80 million Nigerians cannot afford their daily meals.
“Today, our Naira, which exchanged for N187 to the US Dollar under the PDP has fallen to an abysmal N1000 and above to the US Dollar; fuel which sold at N87 per litre under the PDP now sells for over N600 under the APC. Prices of staple food and other essential commodities continue to skyrocket with no end in sight,” the party said.Chief Adeleke is the father of Afrobeat musician, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido. He is also the brother of Osun State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke.
Chief Adeleke owns the Bombadier Global Express 6000 involved in the incident. The jet is used as a family plane by the Adelekes.
The incident happened at the domestic wing of the Airport at about 9am on the fateful day when the jet was about to take off from Lagos to Abuja.
However, the incident wasn’t formally communicated to the concerned Aviation regulatory authorities, a development that is against standard protocol.
Reports indicated that the jet, with Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, on board and his top aides at the time of the incident, had taxied to the end of the runway, shortly before departure, when a loud explosion was heard from the engine of the jet, causing it to abort take-off immediately.
“No deaths or injuries were reported, and other passengers in the plane as of the time of the incident could not be ascertained,” a source privy to the development told our correspondent.
LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that the jet had been parked at the Executive Jet hanger of the Airport before it was deployed on September 5.
Multiple sources confided in LEADERSHIP Sunday that even though there were no injuries or deaths recorded from the incident, however, all parties including the Airport authorities, the Osun State government and the owners of the private hanger have been desperate to ensure that the news of the incident doesn’t get to the public domain.
Attempts by LEADERSHIP Sunday to speak with Governor Adeleke or any of his aides were unsuccessful as at press time on Saturday. Even though one of the passengers on the plane, who did not want to be named, confided in our correspondent that foul play was being suspected from the hangar operators as both engines of the aircraft were damaged.
However, the chief executive officer (CEO), Executive Jets, owners of the hangar where the private jet was parked, Sam Iwuajoku, disclosed that the Chief Adeleke’s private jet had Foreign Object Damage (FOD) that made the aircraft experienced high temperature, which resulted into the explosion.
According to him, the FOD was caused by a bird nest in one of the engines of the jet.
“At take-off, the engine had high temperature and it was caused by bird nest in one of the engines of the aircraft. It happened when an aircraft is parked and not properly covered so, birds will build their nest and anything they bring into the aircraft can spark high temperature.
“It happened to one of my aircraft in 2021, we had to remove the engine and the engine was in Germany for 14 months. So, it’s a common thing in Africa because we have birds around,” he stated.
But, credible sources told LEADERSHIP Sunday that the internationally renowned musician, Davido, had used the plane the previous day, September 4, putting a lie to Iwuajoku of Executive Jets’ account of the incident.
Meanwhile, efforts to get confirmation from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) proved abortive as calls and text messages placed to its director-general, Capt. Musa Nuhu, were not replied as at the time of filing this report on Saturday.
However, a reliable source confided in our correspondent that the incident wasn’t reported to the NCAA as the Air Worthiness Department of the Authority wasn’t aware of the incident.
The source, who craved anonymity because he wasn’t authorised to speak on the matter, said: “NCAA isn’t aware of this incident because the Air Worthiness Department is not aware.”
