Akwa Ibom governor reveals reason for patronising commercial airline

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has given a reason why he shunned using the official governor’s jet of the state, rather decided to patronage the state-owned commercial airline, Ibom Air, in his recent official engagements outside the state.

The governor, while fielding questions from journalists at the Victor Attah International Airport shortly after his arrival from official engagements in Abuja, stressed that the gesture was to promote the brand and offer him more insights into the operations of the airline.

Governor Eno maintained that the immediate-past state Governor, Udom Emmanuel, is not in the custody of the official governor’s jet as being insinuated in some quarters, urging the citizens to desist from maliciously induced and baseless allegations that serve no good intent and purpose.

According to him, his position as the state governor has made him the chief marketing officer of the airline fully owned by the state.

The governor explained that his decision to travel on board Ibom Air was to observe the airline’s standard in service delivery, which he described as spectacular and world-class.

This, he noted, was the reason why the airline is the most preferred by air travelers in the country.

Eno debunked the speculations that he traveled in public transport because the immediate-past governor was in the custody of his official jet, describing the speculation as unfounded and baseless.

He wondered what the people would say when he would travel in the soon-to-be-launched palliative buses that would be introduced to cushion the harsh effects of fuel subsidy removal.

The governor said: “Will the people then turn around to insinuate that the immediate-past governor has taken over his official vehicles?”

He maintained that his style of administration is to demystify governance so as to enable him to connect easily with the ordinary people.

“We are promoting Akwa Ibom brand and the state-own hundred percent shares in this airline, and by virtue of my office, I am the chief marketing officer of the airline, and my job is to promote our brand.

“We are planning to bring buses as part of the palliative. We are in talks with some companies. When the buses finally come, and I board one of those buses, would the people now say the former governor has taken over my official vehicles?” he asked.