Adamawa Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has described the allegation by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) that he flouted COVID-19 protocols at the Port-Harcourt International Airport on Tuesday as false.
Governor Ahmadu Fintiri said FAAN lied because he had his temperature and those of his aides checked.
According to the Adamawa Director General of Media and Communications, Mr Solomon Kumangar, said the Governor only objected to filling his form, insisting his protocol officer should do that for him.
“Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri and his team subjected themselves to the protocol, including temperature check.
“The only thing the Governor took exception to was filling a form as the airport demanded.”
He explained when the form was offered, the governor felt that his protocol officer or orderly could very well fill it for him.
Kumangar stressed the airport authority was economical with the truth as their only point of difference with the Governor was filling a form, which Governor Ahmadu Fintiri believed should be done by his aide.
FAAN had on Thursday 16th July released a statement where they said, that they “strongly condemn the conduct of the Governor of Adamawa state Alh Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, who arrived Port Harcourt International Airport aboard aircraft 5N-IZY, at 17:08 hrs on 14th July 2020, with 8 others, and who flagrantly refused to observe the Airport Security and Public Health protocols as directed by the Federal Government through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on #COVID19 by refusing to have his temperature checked, or being sanitised by the health officials. His whole entourage of 8 did exactly as he did. The team that came to receive them drove right through the barricades up to the terminal building ignoring traffic and Aviation Security instructions.
This irresponsible act endangers all other airport users, it is unacceptable, and as such it has also been duly escalated. FAAN hereby cautions all airport users, especially our esteemed VIPs , to please respect the Presidential directive by observing airport Security and Public Health travel protocols put in place to protect all air travellers against acts of unlawful interference, infection and the spread of the covid-19 pandemic,” the statement said.