Celestine Omehia, a former Rivers State governor, supports the Federal Government’s renaming of the Port Harcourt International Airport in Omagwa to Chief Obafemi Awolowo International Airport.
The former governor, who fell out with Nyesom Wike, has supported the Federal Government against his people’s claims that the airport was not named after a Niger Delta native.
Omehia informed Port Harcourt airport reporters that only the federal government may rename an airport.
The former governor made the comment to airport reporters.
Before leaving office, President Muhammadu Buhari renamed some Nigerian airports after notable Nigerians.
Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa (now Obafemi Awolowo International Airport, Port Harcourt), was affected.
Omehia, who answered queries about the rapid change and why no notable Niger Delta figure was named after any of the country’s airports, said only the Federal Government may change airport names.
He noted that only the Federal Government may rename airports after people like Awolowo.
Read also: Rivers ready to investment, our state safest in Nigeria—Fubara.
He highlighted that Nigeria is a federal nation. Any citizen of the nation might be nominated to carry the name of any airport.
The former governor cited Abuja’s Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International.
He said no one knows how the Federal Government renamed the airports, thus, the Niger Delta people must accept it.
The former governor highlighted that Awolowo had been a patriot since colonial times. Omehia dubbed him a national institution.
He advised the Niger Delta people to construct themselves so they might be recognised and not destroyed.
“Most Niger Deltans kill or destroy our people. Build them so the nation recognises them as institutions. We must endure.”
