The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has denied embarrassing Dame Patience Jonathan, by denying her access to the VIP’s lounge at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
Setting the record straight, FAAN says that the former first lady’s convoy was only prevented from getting to the foot of the aircraft during boarding formalities at the airport.
The Airport Authority insists that this was strictly for safety reasons as prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
A statement issued on Tuesday, July 28, by Yakubu Dati, the General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN, clarified the matter.
“We wish to state that no such thing happened as Dame Patience Jonathan, like other family members of former Presidents and other designated principal officers of Government, are officially entitled to the use of airports’ VIP and protocol lounges under the management of FAAN.
“The Authority holds the former First Lady in high esteem, being the wife of our former President and, therefore, could not have done anything that would suggest disrespect for her person.”
“Our security officials explained this fact in detail to the former first lady. We wish to recall that former President Goodluck Jonathan in his recent trips from the same airport, had to walk to the aircraft from the protocol lounge, in recognition of this ICAO regulation.”
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