PATIENCE FIRES BACK!

Text of statement just released by the office of the 1st Lady in
response to rumour making rounds that the ill fated Dana plane was
denied landing because of the first lady.

Excerpt:

I am responding to the rumor mongers because of the involvement of the
script writers of those that wish to heat up the polity of Nigeria at
every event or given opportunity. Like they have always done, using
every opportunity to make Nigeria ungovernable. Why would a group of
people in different disguises want to play politics with this sad
event just to get back to political rivals or superiors?
This morning, reports from one Ade Atobatele….Information Technology
and Services has filtered the air. Don'tknow which of the firms that
is, claimed that the Dana Airline misfortune was caused by the
closureof airspace for the first lady's aircraft.He was quoted as
saying he was informed by a pilot of a private Jet that also had to
hover in the air for 2 hours 15mins before the airspace opened for
landing. He has conned his story that the social, electronic and print
media has started reporting it without verifying his source.
Let Ade Atobatele (if he does exist) and Nigerians know that the
Nigerian Air space can only be closed for 10 minutes only when an
Aircraft conveying the President approaches an airport and 10 minutes
after landing. A total accumulation of 20 minutes by regulations. And
let Ade and Nigerians also note that the Air space can never be closed
for an aircraft conveying the first lady or any other individual in
Nigeria. Let Nigerians know that regulations gives a code red
preference to any aircraft on "May Day" (in danger) distress against
any other aircraft even if it's presidential. A presidentialjet will
be asked to divert towards a military airbase in case of a conflict in
interest of landing. As we are aware, flight 0992 had called for
MAYDAY 11mins before its ETA (estimatedtime of arrival) at 11 mins,
the aircraft had prepared for landing. No aircraft is allowed to
prepare for landing in an airspace that is closed. 20mins to landing,
an aircraft as large as the boeing MD-83 can only commence descend
from its cruise altitude.
Where then is the logic in Ade's story?
Let Ade also take note that the trafficcontrol unit at the airport has
confirmed that the air space was actually closed for 15mins for the
Dana Air flight 0992 to perform an emergency landing before the
unfortunate incidence.
Please I admonish all readers to disregard the allegation against the
office and person of the First lady in their attempt to incite
Nigerians.
While we all pray that the Good Lord grants Nigerians and most
especially the families of those that lost their lives to the sad
incident the fortitude to bear the loss.
The Allegations:
"Is there any way of getting confirmation about news I'm just getting
that the Dana plane 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 Goodluck Jonathan .
Private jet owners who had to hover in the air same time leaked this.
This was apparently the reason local newsdidn't report the crash for
so long till CNN and foreign news stations started reporting it.
Local news was 'blacked out' trying to kill the story of the airspace
being closed while a distressed plane couldn't land. It would be
shocking if so.
Though there was engine failure there was still time for the plane to
have landed apparently. You do knowanyway that the airspace is closed
for up to 2hours each time the Presidential Jet needs to go into the
air? 2 hours for a 15minute take off or landing! And this jet is used
by President, VP, President's wife and if I recall David Mark . It's
almost a daily occurrence I've been told by airline staff when it
caught me out on a trip."