Akwa Ibom State Government has come hard on Obong Akan Udofia for allegedly claiming that he conceived the idea of setting up Ibom Air.
The government, through a statement yesterday signed by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom, SAN, said Udofia did not own an aircraft in the Ibom Air fleet.
He said the government was surprised at a viral online video in some WhatsApp groups in which Udofia, the sacked governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, claimed Ibom Air was his brainchild.
He said Ibom Air was conceived by Governor Udom Emmanuel, who worked with consultants to make it a reality, adding that the airline was owned by Akwa Ibom State Government.
The statement said: “It has been brought to the notice of the office of the Attorney General that Udofia claims in a short video, circulated on WhatsApp groups and social media platforms that the idea of setting up of Ibom Air was his. “
“The said Udofia, we are told, had in the past claimed that some of the aircraft in the fleet of Ibom Air belonged to him.
“It is necessary to notify the public and Akwa Ibom State indigenes in particular that Udofia has no proprietary interest whatsoever in any of the aircraft in the fleet of Ibom Air. The aircraft in the fleet were acquired directly by the airline.
“The idea of Ibom Air was conceived and executed by Governor Emmanuel, who worked with aviation consultants led by Capt. Mfon Udom to birth and sustain the operations of the airline to this day. The airline is owned 100 per cent by Akwa Ibom State.
“The government threatened to apply sanctions against any person or group of persons laying claim to Ibom Air.
“Any claim contrary to the above is false and fraudulent and this office will not hesitate to file sanctions against the perpetrators.”