The movement of the First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, from Port Harcourt to Abuja yesterday led to the shutting of the airspace for about four hours.
It was gathered that the authorities of the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, had closed the airspace for the VIP movement of Mrs. Jonathan, who was supposed to leave the Rivers State capital for Abuja after the burial rites of her foster mother, the late Madam Charity Oba.
It was further gathered that the development affected the activities of commercial flights at the airport
The President’s wife was scheduled to leave Port Harcourt airport with an 11.45am flight to Abuja but the flight was delayed till 5pm. Our correspondent further observed that there was no movement of plane to and from the airport between 12.30pm and 5pm.
Meanwhile, scores of supporters of the All Progressives Congress APC, who were at the main entrance of the airport to receive their leaders were prevented from entering the airport area by stern looking security operatives led by a chief superintendent of Police (CSP).
The APC leaders had planned to visit Governor Rotimi Amaechi in Port Harcourt yesterday in order to woo him to the party. But the APC leaders were said to have rescheduled their visit till today since Amaechi was with other members of the G-7 governors who held separate meetings with Obasanjo in Abeokuta and Danjuma and Shonekan in Lagos.
A police officer, who sought anonymity, told that the policemen have orders from above to prevent persons who do not have any business at the airport from entering the area due to the movement of the President’s wife.
Addressing members of the Godspower Ake-led PDP in the state earlier in the day at Government House, Port Harcourt, a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Andrew Uchendu berated those opposed to Amaechi for describing the supporters of the governor as non-indigenes.
According to Uchendu, those who gathered at the Government House to welcome the G-7 governors are members of the PDP and indigenes of the state.