Gbajabiamila walks out Emefiele’s representative at aviation stakeholders’ meeting

There was a mild drama on Monday when the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, asked Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Kingsley Obiora, to leave a meeting with aviation stakeholders.

The leadership of the lower chamber was meeting with stakeholders in the aviation sector over a plan by domestic airlines to shut down operations, owing to the rising price of aviation fuel.

Obiora, who represented CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele at the meeting, had initially told the lawmakers that his boss was not available for the meeting.

In reaction, Gbajabiamila said Obiora should leave and inform Emefiele that “there is nothing that can be as important as this right now”.

Surprisingly, about 30 minutes after the CBN deputy governor was asked to leave, Emefiele walked into the hall and joined the meeting.

The meeting between the lower chamber leadership and the aviation stakeholders is aimed at finding a solution to the issue.

On Friday, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) announced plans to shut down operations from Monday over the high cost of aviation fuel.

The group complained that aviation fuel, also known as Jet A1, has reached an all-time high of N700 per litre.

The statement was jointly signed by Abdulmunaf Yunusa Sarina, president of the group; Shehu Wada, executive director, Max Air; Mfon Udom, CEO, Ibom Air; Abdullahi Mahmood, CEO, Aero Contractors; Edward Boyo, CEO, Overland Airways; Allen Onyema, chairman, Air Peace; Obiora Okonkwo, chairman, United Nigeria Airlines; Roy Ilegbodu, CEO, Arik Air; Faisal Abdulmunaf, MD, AzmanAir; and Sukh Mann, deputy CEO, Dana Air.

But on Saturday, Ibom Air pulled out of the planned action, noting that suspending flights would make a bad situation worse.

Three more airlines — Arik Air Limited, Dana Air and Aero Contractors — also said they would continue operations but added that they supported the efforts by the AON to address the fuel price hike.