Lawmakers blow hot as Azman Air leaves them stranded in Kano Airport

Some members House of Representatives, on Wednesday got the treatment ordinary Nigerians face with delayed and cancelled flights at some of the major airports in Nigeria.

The spokesperson of the House, Ben Kalu (APC, Abia), Rotimi Agunsoye (APC, Lagos), Henry Achibong (PDP, Akwa-Ibom) and others were left stranded at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano while on a committee assignment.

The lawmakers were to board Azman Airline for an official assignment with the Committee on Petroleum Upstream and Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) but waited for hours unattended for a flight that was earlier scheduled to take off at 12:30 p.m. thereafter shifted to 2:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 9:45 p.m. and finally to 12:15 a.m.

Mr Kalu, the House spokesperson was left fuming while speaking with journalists at the airport.

He said, “It is important the people we represent know where we are and the National Assembly knows we are still stranded here. And as we speak to you, nobody is at the counter to address us, not even the manager.”

He added, “In the hall, a lot of Nigerians are left stranded. There are other Nigerians who are stranded and we are witnessing this firsthand and we are feeling it. Some of the citizens abandoned here.

“We are raising this call for common Nigerians. Sometimes, when citizens bring their complaints before us, it feels as if they fabricated it but this one we are involved and we are seeing this for ourselves.”

Mr Kalu noted that the lawmakers will raise the matter with the Ministry of Aviation and Consumer Protection Council.

“We don’t know when we are leaving here and we have shown interest to find out from the Ministry of Aviation and Consumer Protection Council what is happening to the Aviation sector as soon as we return,” he said.

There have been several complaints Nigerians over flight delays and outright cancellation without prior notice or explanation.

In July, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, announced that airlines shall reimburse passengers their tickets after two hours delay.

Despite the stiff penalty, Nigerians continue to experience flight delays.