Most
of you probably heard the rumours yesterday that the Dana plane that
crashed was distressed for a while but could not make an emergency
landing because the airspace was closed for 2 hours for the
Presidential Jet carrying Dame Patience Jonathan. Absolutely not true. A
rejoinder from the office of first Lady of Nigeria when you continue...
Our attention has been drawn to the orchestrated plan to politicize the
Sunday Dana Air crash in Lagos in which many people lost their lives,
through rumours about the possible cause of the accident citing VIP
movement involving the wife of the President.
We consider it callous, inhuman and devilish for anyone to have thought
of wrapping such national calamity in political garb by insinuating
that the plane crashed because the airspace was closed for the First
Lady's movement in Lagos.
For the avoidance of doubt, the First Lady arrived Lagos at about 2pm on
Saturday, 2nd June, 2012 for a private engagement and was billed to
leave for Abuja on Monday, 4th June, 2012.
In compliance with her itinerary, the First Lady arrived Lagos on
Saturday. She was at a public event on Sunday when the accident occurred
and promptly abandoned the ceremony as a mark of respect for the
victims and retired to the State House, Marina. She left Lagos at
exactly 13.15hrs on Monday, 4th June, 2012, according to schedule.
It is therefore surprising that some mischievous persons will see this
moment of National mourning as an opportunity to blackmail and impugn
the First Lady's integrity.
This is the time for all Nigerians to be sober and pray for the repose
of the souls of the victims and not a time to subordinate the interests
of our nation to narrow self-serving interests.
Let us all put the interest of the Nation first in whatever we do.
Mrs. Jonathan had no intention to travel on Sunday and never did. Like all Nigerians, she has been mourning the dead.
Signed
Ayo Osinlu
Special Assistant to the President
