Drama As Diezani Madueke Runs After Buhari At Airport

According to Punch, there was a mild drama at the Nnamdi Azikwe International
Airport, Abuja on Friday, as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani
Alison-Madueke, ran to catch up with the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari.

Both Buhari and the minister on Friday morning travelled out
of the country to London on the same flight. One of our correspondents gathered
that they both boarded a British Airways flight that left the airport at about
4.30am on its way to Heathrow Airport, London.

But while Buhari was going to board his flight, a mild drama
took place at the airport.

Sources, who witnessed the drama, told one of our
correspondents that the minister raced in a bid to catch up with Buhari, who
had undergone airport screening before her.

It was learnt that the President-elect, who reportedly
arrived the airport before the minister, was cleared first and he went straight
into the aircraft.

It was further gathered that when Diezani arrived the
airport and got news that Buhari had already boarded the flight, she hurriedly
ran to ensure that she entered the plane.

In fact, sources at the airport stated that the petroleum
minister left behind her aides while running to catch up with Buhari. A source
on the ground, who witnessed the drama, said, “The man (Buhari) was at the
front and had already passed the screening team. And immediately the woman
(Diezani) came down, it was as if they told her that the President-elect was
already inside the aircraft, so she started running. She even left her people behind
so that she could board the flight along with the President-elect.

“This happened between 4am and 5am this (Friday) morning and
the airline involved was British Airways. The flight was on its way from Abuja
international airport to Heathrow Airport, London.”

An online medium, Sahara Reporters, reported on Friday that
efforts of the minister, during the six-hour flight, to speak with Buhari
failed.

According to the report, the President-elect only greeted
Alison-Madueke during the boarding process.

It stated that the minister allegedly tried many times to
stir a conversation with Buhari, but the latter shunned her.

The flight was reported to have arrived at Heathrow in
London at 2:15pm, but the passengers disembarked at 2:45pm. The Federal
Ministry of Petroleum Resources, refused to comment on the issues when
contacted.Calls to the mobile phone of its spokesperson, Mr. Kingsley Agha,
were ignored while a text message to him was not replied.

He was asked to explain why the minister travelled and her
action at the airport.