The Nation Newspaper

Tag: excesses

  • Excesses and excuses

    It is ironic that what was designed as a medal of honour is attracting dishonour. After two four-year terms in office and an initial applause, former Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and his former deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu, are on the receiving end of applaudable boos. At the heart of the matter is an unfeeling move by the Edo State House of Assembly.

    News that the state’s lawmakers amended the “2007 Pension Rights of the Governor and Deputy Governor Law” to favour Oshiomhole and Odubu was particularly striking because of its curious complexion.  There was only one amendment to the law; but it is an amendment that speaks volumes.

    What the amendment meant was enough to trigger a protest that turned bloody as its supporters and its opponents clashed in Benin, the state capital. The amendment opposers who were members of civil society organisations (CSOs) probably underestimated the muscle of the amendment endorsers who were mightily misguided on the issue.

    A report said: “Members of the CSOs, who were dressed in black attires, were at the House of Assembly at the Oba Ovonramwen Square to show their displeasure at the amendment.” The protest coordinator, Agho Omobude, described what followed their collision with the pro-amendment group: “About 12 of our members have been injured and rushed to the hospital for treatment while three vehicles were destroyed. We don’t know what would have happened if we had not fled.”

    A defiant Omobude was quoted as saying: “No matter the threat to our lives, we would not back down. We are sending a strong message to members of the Assembly and the state government that we would not give up. We shall employ all means to continue the fight and resist the obnoxious policy of government of N200 million and N100 million housing pension to the former governor and his deputy.”

    By the amendment, Oshiomhole and Odubu would have new entitlements. A report said the bill with the subhead titled “provision of a house,” provided for  “a house in a location of choice in Nigeria of the Governor provided that the total cost of building the house shall not be in excess of 200 million naira while 100 million naira for the deputy governor.”

    It is intriguing that those who carried out this amendment feel comfortable with the additional comforts it provides for those concerned.  In the face of loud opposition to the amendment, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Justin Okonoboh, defended the indefensible. He was quoted as saying:  ”Some talked about the amount and I think that was quite moderate because the law says any part of the country. If you want to use 200 million naira in Lagos, it probably might just be a grant to them because they need to add money to build a befitting house in Lagos or wherever.”

    It is noteworthy that the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) not only rubbished the amendment but also demanded that Governor Godwin Obaseki should “immediately withdraw the bill, and use the funds to clear the backlog of pension arrears spanning between seven and 45 months.”

    The beauty of democracy is the separation of powers which makes it possible for Obaseki to reject the amendment and refuse to give gubernatorial assent to it. It is unclear whether the bill had an input from Obaseki, but how he responds to it will show where he stands. It does not make sense to pursue extra comforts for Oshiomhole and Odubu at the expense of the people.

    The immediate beneficiaries of the amendment, if it is allowed to stand, are the immediate past governor and the immediate past deputy governor, which suggests that the bill was drafted with them in mind. Although it is expected that there will be other beneficiaries of the amendment, the point that it was probably inspired by a desire to please Oshiomhole and Odubu is something to ponder.

    There were other details that were unamended. A report said: “Other benefits to be enjoyed by former governors in the state are, a pension for life at a rate equivalent to 100 percent of his last annual salary in addition to an officer not above salary grade level 12 as Special Assistant, a personal secretary not below grade level 10 who shall be selected by the former governors from the public service of Edo State. Former governors are also entitled to have two cooks, two armed policemen as security, three vehicles to be bought by the State Government and liable to be replaced every five years, three drivers who shall be selected by the former governor and paid by the state government as well as free medical treatment for the governor and his immediate family.”

    It continued: “Former deputy governors are entitled to 100 percent of their last annual salary as pension, a personal staff not above salary grade level 12 as Special Assistant, a personal secretary not below grade level 09 who shall be selected by the former deputy governor from the public service of the state, a cook, two policemen as security. Two vehicles bought by the state government and liable to be replaced every five years are to be provided, two drivers who shall be selected by former deputy governors and paid by the state government and free medical treatment for them and their immediate family.”

    It may be considered a redeeming feature of the Edo legislative exercise that the other lawful entitlements were unamended. But the considerations that led to the contentious amendment need to be reconsidered. Indeed, it is important to re-examine the thinking that ex-governors and ex- deputy governors are entitled to so much.

    This nonsense is not exclusive to Edo State. A report named eight other states where ex-governors are entitled to excessive benefits:  Akwa Ibom, Gombe, Sokoto, Lagos, Rivers, Kano, Kwara and Zamfara. There is an entitlement complex on the part of the beneficiaries and there is a complex sense of indebtedness on the part of those who make such benefits possible.

    Sooner or later, the excesses and the excuses for them will need to be reviewed in line with the demands of reasonableness rather than unreasonableness.

  • 2015 Campaigns: The issues, excesses, violations

    2015 Campaigns: The issues, excesses, violations

    Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, reports on the campaign issues of President Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari, including the excesses and electoral violations of their political parties; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Political parties and politicians participating in the ongoing general elections that kicked off across the country yesterday found and used several methods to reach out to the electorate during the many weeks of electioneering campaigns that saw political campaign trains crisscrossing the lent and breadth of the various constituencies.

    Aside from pasting posters and erecting billboards, vote seeking groups and individuals mounted podiums and organised programmes all in their quest to have the people consider them or their candidates worthy of being entrusted with the peoples’ mandate during the general election.

    They also found the social, print and electronic media as useful platforms to get closer to the people, especially voters. And all the parties, especially the two leading ones, made extensive use of these platforms so much so that the electorates themselves were treated with what many analysts described as political campaign war.

    The ‘war’ came in various shades; some interesting, some gory, some peaceful, some violent, some good to hear and see, some unsavory. In and out of the expected and the unexpected, politicians and their political parties meandered as they curry the votes of Nigerians desperately.

    Issues

    On his part, President Goodluck Jonathan said as the President of Nigeria in the outgoing tenure, he concentrated much of his efforts at rebuilding the physical infrastructure that could galvanize national industrial development.  He said much has been achieved in his quest to transform the country.

    Consequently, as a presidential aspirant in the 2015 elections, he focused on the development of the human capital. According to him, “a nation is as developed as its human capital. Education, women, and youth development are the indicators of a nation’s development. Having laid the foundations for industrial take off, I want you to vote for me to make good these areas of our national life.”

    Women: The Goodluck second tenure will embark on large scale women empowerment programme as well as increase number of women that occupy public offices. We have developed a road map to integrate women into the nation’s development processes. I will fully implement the Affirmative Action of at least 35 percent positions for women in appointive positions. I will do more to promote increased girl-child education in the northern parts of Nigeria. The G-WIN Initiative will be the plank to economically empower women and girls. The reduction in maternal and child mortality will be aggressively pursued through already existing programmatic platforms. Nigeria women must be fully engaged to contribute to national development. We are committed to making work and effort of women to count in National Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    Youth: Youths are the heartbeat of the nation. The Goodluck second term administration will give greater attention to the task of lifting up the Nigerian youth to a higher level of attainment. We work to harness the energies and potentials of the youth for national development through specialised programmes; including support for youths in ICT; Youth in Sports; Youth in Agriculture and Youth entrepreneurship.

    The Elderly: The Goodluck Jonathan Administration will ensure that pensioners and the elderly are protected, supported and provided for so that they can continue to enjoy good health and longevity. Special attention will be given to the elderly in our society.

    All through his own campaign, Buhari affirmed that he would do things differently from the PDP presidents if elected, and outlined a nine-point agenda to achieve this, namely:

    *Protection of lives and property.

    *Pursuing economic policies for shared prosperity and immediate attention on youth employment.

    *Quality education for development, modernity and social mobility.

    *Agricultural productivity for taking millions out of poverty and ensuring food security.

    *Reviving industries to generate employment and “make things” not just to remain hawkers of other peoples’ goods.

    *Developing solid minerals exploitation, which will substantially attract employment and revenue for government.

    *Restoring honour and integrity to public service by keeping the best and attracting the best.

    *Tackling corruption which has become blatant and widespread. The rest of the world looks at Nigeria as the home of corruption. Nigeria is a country where stealing is not corruption.

    *Respecting the constitutional separation of powers among the executive, legislature and judiciary and respecting the rights of citizens.

    The candidates and their parties strived vigorously to send the messages into the hearts of the people. The people listened to it all. And more than ever before, the 2015 campaigns were indeed issues-based as the people strived to hear more from the political gladiators.

    Hate campaigns

    The electioneering contest, at some point, also degenerated into a string of hate campaigns leading to allegations and counter allegations between the two frontline political parties and their candidates.

    At the peak of the highly condemned hate campaign, a serving state governor ran a series of newspaper adverts that insinuated that the APC presidential candidate may not have much years left to spend on earth.

    The governor, Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, however appeared unperturbed by the knocks he received for sponsoring the obscene advertorial. Rather, he insisted that he is entitled to express how he feels about Buhari and any other candidate in the presidential race.

    The advert placed on selected newspapers, has the pictures of past Nigerian leaders who died in office; Murtala Muhammed, Sani Abacha, Umaru Yar’Adua with the picture of Buhari placed beside the pictures of the late leaders and a huge question mark over it.

    It was accompanied by excerpt from the Bible book of Deuteronomy 30 verse 19, asked its readers: “Will you allow history to repeat itself? Enough of State burials.” “Nigerians be warned! Nigeria…I have set before thee Life and death. Therefore, choose life that both thee and thy seed may live,” it said.

    This advertisement was widely condemned by both supporters of Buhari and President Goodluck Jonathan, with many people asking the president to dissociate himself from it.

    Ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, while reacting to the advertisement, said “Ayo Fayose mocked the death of our great past heroes. This is too much of politics to play. I hope Nigerians now know the right camp to vote. Ayo Fayose is nothing but a celebrated hooligan. His offensive advert should provoke and strengthen Nigerians to vote for change.”

    Earlier, the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation had alleged that the APC, in a video advert, was inciting the military to take over the affairs of government and also planned to assassinate key government officials. But the inability of the camp to substantiate its claim with evidences, robbed it of any political mileage it may have intended in raising the alarm.

    And the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) was to introduce another dimension into the matter when it said it has evidence that a top management staff of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is behind the dirty campaigns of hate against the presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu and their families aired in the documentaries by AIT and NTA.

    The APCPCO’s Director of Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said the campaign office has confirmed that the agency was indeed the sponsor of all the dirty campaigns against the APC presidential candidate on AIT, NTA and several other media platforms. The party noted that the Buhari documentary, apart from being fabricated and planted, the broadcasts were a complete negation of the recent noble violence-free election accord.

    The petition read in part: “Campaign of hate, particularly when based on twisted facts and ill intentions, is a constructive incitement to violence. Campaign of hate is not only dehumanizing, it is against the spirit of our constitution and unwholesome to national interest. The electorate have right to base their evaluation of every election candidate on true facts, not deceptive and cooked manipulations.”

    APC also condemned the Africa Independent Television (AIT) and the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) for what it called “offensive documentary” against the person of the party’s National Leader, Asiwaju BolaTinubu. The documentary, which was entitled: The Lion of Bourdillon, alleged that Tinubu was corrupt and treating Yorubaland as his personal estate, among other allegations.

    The Publicity Secretary of Ekiti APC Elders’ Forum, Dr. Bayo Orire, described the documentary as a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) evil propaganda against the person of Tinubu, whom he said the ruling party is afraid of.

    However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), denied the allegation and accused the APC of paranoia and desperation in its futile attempt to claim power.

    Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Alhaji Abdullahi Jalo, said, “It is now clear that the APC has nothing else to tell Nigerians, who have made up their minds to return President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP. Ask them, how much is Nigeria’s budget? They should talk on issues and stop this propaganda.”

    Online

    The online campaign was not less competitive.  Candidates and political camps went all out to engage the over six million Nigerian Facebook users and about a million users each of messaging services such as Twitter, BlackBerry Messenger and WhatsApp.

    Sites and accounts of various contestant and party sprung up on these messaging services, leading to a fierce online war between the APC and the PDP. Other political parties were not left out as the platforms proved to be veritable area where candidates and parties with less financial muscles competed with their more endowed counterparts easily.

    Cosmas Chikelu, a social media analyst, and Chief Executive Officer of CyberScenes, a social media service outfit, commended the improved utilisation of the global trend by Nigerian politicians ahead of the 2015 general election.

    “The social media allows faster communication and reach citizens in a more direct manner. It is relatively cheaper and of course more effective than the conventional media. The better use Nigerian politicians put the platforms to this time around is commendable.

    “The arguments, reactions, feedback, conversations and debates generated online over the weeks have been very useful in helping the electorate to decide which direction to go. It has also reduced the tension usually associated with electioneering campaign in Nigeria because through the social media, many questions were asked and answered,” he said.

    First to hit the waves was President Goodluck Jonathan, who, with nearly two million Facebook followers, is the first Nigerian President to use social media to reach out to the people. Every Facebook post of the President attracted several likes and comments from both friends and foes alike.

    The PDP, now with about 80,000 followers on the Facebook and about 32,000 Twitter attentions, also made good use of the online platforms to disseminate information to the people and promote the candidacy of its flag-bearers. The party also engaged the use of the online services in promoting the various support groups that sprung up for its candidates across the country.

    Likewise, the APC and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) took the campaign for voters’ support to the social media. As we speak, Buhari has over 90,000 followers on Twitter in addition to the 200,000 Facebook friends he now boasts of. It is instructive to note that before his emergence as APC presidential hopeful, the retired general was not really a fan of the social media.

    But his entrant unto the social media scene witnessed prompt accreditation for him by many Nigerians on the services. And he has been very consistent in using the platforms to reach out to supporters and opponents alike.

    All in all, the APC appears to have won the online campaign war. The APC now has about 100,000 Twitter followers having tweeted about 9,000 times. On its part, the PDP has just about 2,000 tweets.

    Violations

    In the course of the electioneering campaigns, the political gladiators went beyond stipulated and acceptable norms and practices in some of their actions and inactions. Chief amongst this is in the area of campaign expenditure as established by concerned bodies.

    A report by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ); a non-governmental organisation, revealed that both the PDP and the APC violated the electoral law on campaign funding. The report titled “Second Campaign Finance and Use of State Administrative Resources Report in the 2015 Presidential Election” was presented to journalists recently.

    Lead Director of the centre, Barrister Eze Onyekpere, who presented the report, said the essence of making it public was to show Nigerians how politicians and their political parties were dipping their hands into state coffers and using public funds for their private uses.

    The Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), a pro-Jonathan Campaign Organisation, was specifically mentioned in the report as violating the electoral law by contributing far above the N1million ceiling as donation from individuals or groups to any candidate.

    It also highlighted the issues of allegation of bribery to pastors, visits to traditional rulers where undisclosed huge sums of money were allegedly doled out, inducement of socio-cultural organisations, sale of PVCs, cost of hate campaigns, renting of crowd and use of government agencies as conduits to siphon funds among others.

    According to the report, all persons, associations and organisations who have sought to induce voters with money and materials should be prosecuted in accordance with S. 124 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). This should include the candidates and their agents through which the corrupt acts were perpetrated.

    The report also called on security agencies to investigate the allegations and counter allegations of bribery against Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and its members. It also called for the investigation of the allegations of sale of PVCs and its demand as collateral to be deposited with a company that offers loans to the poor. It urged the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission to intervene to stop hate campaigns in the electronic media.

    Also, that INEC should demand that all abuse of state resources and the diversion of public goods and materials for partisan purposes should henceforth be stopped. It called for those who have participated in the act to be brought to book. It recommended that those in charge of the MDGs, NEMA and ATA, who allowed state resources to be used to the advantage of the incumbent, should be made to resign their appointments among others.

    As the results of this weekend’s presidential election begins to trickle in, observers will compare it with the campaign efforts of the candidates and their promises as Nigerians are concerned with what the new leader will bring to the table.

  • Patience Jonathan’s excesses

    SIR: I am compelled to write this because of the excesses of Nigeria’s acclaimed first lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan regarding the aspiration of her husband for second term. She threw the first salvo sometime ago in the heat of her campaign for the re-election of her husband, when she condemnably mocked the people of the north saying in pidgin English; “we don’t born shildren, throw dat shildren to the street, we are not like the other side”. Then, Mrs. Jonathan had the audacity to call the major opponent of her husband for the presidential election, General Muhammadu Buhari, “brain death”. This is clearly uncultured for an African woman, to insult another woman’s husband.

    Recently, in Edo State, she said; “we must get second term”. This statement by the first lady shows the desperation of her getting a re-election for her husband at all cost. Mrs Jonathan needs to realise the fact that politics entails decency in all ramifications and not gutter language especially at this trying moment for her husband’s second term bid. She also needs to weight her language and the kind of words she uttered especially in campaigning for her husband.

    The basis for the vituperations she is pouring left, right and centre does not augur well for the re-election of her husband, who is facing his toughest political journey. The harsh words that she is pouring can ultimately do great damage to the aspiration of her husband. She needs to exhibit high moral sense in soliciting support for husband in this great contest of his life.

    Mudslinging cannot play any vital role in her quest to still be called the first lady of the nation. What should preoccupy her now is how to do damage control. Denigrating others by mama peace in the course of securing base for her husband cannot take her anywhere. Though, she has freedom of expression, she ought to exercise it within the dictate of decency as a first lady that is expected to show genuine concern rather than insulting the sensibilities of the people.

     

    • Usman Santuraki,

     Santuraki Close, Jambutu Ward, Jimeta-Yola.

  • Elders petition Umar over monarch’s ‘excesses’

    Elders petition Umar over monarch’s ‘excesses’

    Concerned Mambilla Elders Forum (CMEF) has petitioned Taraba State Acting Governor Alhaji Garba Umar over what it described as the alleged excesses of a monarch, Shehu Audu Baju.

    The petition, signed by the coordinator, Alhaji Usman Hassan Zubairu and the secretary, Daniel Mbomu, accused Shehu of “neglecting his people and for not being a listening leader as he promised on August 24 last year when he was given the staff of office.”

    The elders alleged that the Mambilla ruler undermined the opinions of the traditional council and conferred chieftaincy titles on 40 people, including fraudsters, against their culture.

    They accused him of appointing only the rich as the village heads instead of those from the ruling homes.

    The petition reads: “When on August 24 last year you gave Shehu the staff of office, we supported you, as he promised to be a listening leader, a democratic servant-ruler. He promised to reunite the ethnic groups. But to our dismay, our king has turned out to be an autocratic ruler, exercising powers inimical to Mambilla people.

    “Within a short time, Shehu has given chieftaincy titles to 40 people, including fraudsters, simply because they are rich.

    “He gives the Ardo (Fulani district head) and the Jouro (Mambilla district head) titles to people, provided the beneficiaries have N1.5 million to give him. He does not care whether such people are from the ruling houses or not.

    “Shehu has set up a three-man committee, headed by Kaigama Abdulkadri, to review the land ownership system in the area and collects 10 per cent of the money involved in every land deal. This is causing problems, which may result in crisis.

    “The Office of the Chief of Mambilla is under the Office of the Sardauna Local Government, but our chief has grown bigger than the local government chairman, Dr. David Jedua and does not wish to consult him on any decision he takes. We are afraid that you are not aware of his excesses and the danger they portend.”

  • Tukur has many excesses, says Oyinlola

    Tukur has many excesses, says Oyinlola

    National Secretary of the Kawu Baraje-led new Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, yesterday explained why he joined the faction.

    Oyinlola, a former Osun State governor, who was edged out of the national secretary’s seat of the PDP, spoke in his home town Okuku, on his new role in the Baraje group.

    He described Tukur, under whom he served, as being “engaged in too many excesses,” adding: “All my efforts to make him realise these failed.” Oyinlola recalled that “When our executive council came on board, he (Tukur) was holding the party meeting from his private house rather than from the party secretariat.”

    He said Governors Sule Lamido,(Jigawa), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Aliyu Babangida (Niger) Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) and Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako, who was allegedly locked out of the party’s mini convention at the Eagle Square last month, were fighting the injustice of his removal as the PDP national secretary .

    he denied that he “left their convention venue under the pretext that I wanted to go to the toilet” but added that “It was not easy for me to stay there and watch what they were doing.They locked out the Adamawa State governor and his people. They doctored the lists of delegates from Anambra and Rivers states.”

    A former chairman of the PDP in Osun State, Alhaji Ademola Rasaq, described the threat by the Gani Ola-Oluwa-led state executive to sanction whoever assoicates with the Baraje faction as empty.

    He listed some chieftains of the party in the state, including Senators Isiaka Adeleke, Yinka Omilani, Felix Ogunwale, Simeon Oduoye and three of the governorship aspirants – Mr. Wole Oke, Ahaji Fatai Akinbade and Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi as belonging to the Baraje faction.

    But a member of the party’s Elders Committee, Chief Abiola Ogundokun, described Oyinlola’s joining of the Baraje faction as a betrayal of trust.

    Ogundokun, who spoke with reporters in Osogbo, the Osun State capital berated them for “rocking the boat of the party”.

    He alleged that Oyinlola walked out of the party’s mini convention in Abuja after pretending that he was going to ease himself..

    Ogundokun said: “Oyinlola, rather than wait on the Lord, is always eager to occupy positions. He snatched the secretary post from Chief Ebenezer Babatope, who was originally the members’ candidate. Oyinlola is a betrayal of trust. He should learn to wait on the Lord.

    “He should have learnt the lessons that it is God that puts people in positions. Now, he is seeing the hands of God and he should know that whatever God does not support cannot stand. And he has benefited from the party more than anyone else. He was governor on the PDP platform twice. Briefly, he was national secretary.

    “He should accept God’s verdict rather than looking for the downfall of a party through which he substantially benefited.

    “Oyinlola should stop exhibiting the spirit of ‘if I don’t get it I will destroy it’. When he was inciting the elders against Jonathan, some us disagreed with him.”

    Ogundokun also challenged Oyinlola to give account of the 20 additional board appointment slots given to Osun State when he was national secretary. He alleged that the former governor gave the jobs to his cronies.

    Ogundokun said Oyinlola should name those he gave the slots to and where they are from and explain who signed on behalf of the state chairman.

     

  • Reps move to curb airlines’ excesses

    Reps move to curb airlines’ excesses

    The House of Reprentatives is taking steps, through the amendment of the Civil Aviation Act, 2006, to empower air travellers. The bill scaled second reading, yesterday

    The sponsor of the bill, Femi Gbajabiamila (ACN, Lagos) argued that history has shown that airlines have little regards for passengers, which has made it imperative to compel them to adopt best practices as prescribed by international protocols.

    The bill is seeking to prescribe penalties for delay and cancellation of flights by airlines in the country.

    “We are all witnesses to emotional trauma our passengers are going through in our airports. What is more disturbing is the fact that most of these delays are not just for one hour or two, but sometimes it takes up to six to seven hours, without any genuine reasons”, he said.

    Though he noted that delays and cancellation of flights was not peculiar to Nigeria, he however frowned at the nonchalant attitude of airlines and the regulatory authorities

    He said: “What can be deduced from this, is a total lack of respect for the flying passengers, which most times result to lost of important appointments. These things happen in Europe, the US and other places around the world, but penalties are applied in line with international best practices,” he argued.

    The amendment seeks to compel the erring airlines to pay 30 per cent of the cost of the airfare to the passengers for up to three hours of delay, 50 per cent for four hours, or seven days suspension, as the case may be.

    He however explained that the proposed penalties do not preclude aggrieved passengers from seeking damages for specific complaints.

    In her contribution, Aisha Ahmed (PDP, Adamawa), said though the penalties prescribed in the bill were in the Aviation policy, the need to back them with legislation has become imperative.

    “All airlines in this country are guilty of this, with long history of inappropriate penalties. Even foreign airlines are not excluded.”

    She posited that rather than protect aggrieved passengers, authorities responsible for enforcing the rules back the airlines to the detriment of the passengers.

    Patrick Ikhariale (PDP, Edo), supported the bill, saying: “Not that flights can not be delayed or canceled, but they should not be on reasons other than technical.”

    Nnenna Okeje ( PDP, Abia), however explained that since the penalties were contained in the Aviation policy, it might not be necessary to legislate on it.

    When the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal put it to voice vote, it was unanimously supported for second reading. It was referred to the Committee on Aviation for further legislative input.