Reps stranded in Kano airport as airline reschedules flight ‘four times’

Some members of the house of representatives are currently stranded in the Aminu Kano international airport, Kano state. 

The lawmakers were said to have arrived the airport to board an Azman airline flight, scheduled for 12:30pm on Wednesday, en route Abuja.

The lawmakers — members of the committee on petroleum upstream and petroleum technology development fund (PTDF) — visited Kano state for an oversight assignment.

The flight was reportedly delayed from 12:30pm till 2:30pm, then till 6pm.

The flight time was again moved to 9:45pm, after which the lawmakers were told that they would leave by 12:15am on Thursday.

Officials of the airline are said to have failed to address the passengers on the cause of the delay.

Lamenting the incident, Benjamin Kalu, spokesperson of the house of representatives, who is one of the passengers, said a meeting will be held with the ministry of aviation and the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) on the matter.

“It is important the people we represent know where we are and the national assembly knows we are still stranded here. As we speak to you, nobody is at the counter to address us, not even the manager,” he said.

“We just came out to see the manager and other members are still inside.

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

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

“We don’t know when we are leaving here, and we have shown interest to find out from the ministry of aviation and the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) what is happening to the aviation sector as soon as we return.”

Lawmakers at the airport include Rotimi Agunsoye, Henry Archibong, and Gboluga Tinboju.

Meanwhile, the airline is yet to officially comment on the cause of the delay.