ADVERTISEMENT
  • The Membership Club
  • PT Hausa
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
Sunday, March 7, 2021
Premium Times Nigeria
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Opinion
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Parliament Watch
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • AGAHRIN
Premium Times Nigeria
BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad BUA Group Ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Mr Daniel Utomette

Mr Daniel Utomette

Airline sacks employee ‘for supporting APC’

byCletus Ukpong
May 14, 2019
3 min read

A new airline, Ibom Air, is yet to officially commence business. But it is already enmeshed in a controversy over the sacking of its employee for speaking in support of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ibom Air is owned by the Akwa Ibom state government.

Akwa Ibom is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) state, while the APC is the ruling party at the national level.

The employee, Daniel Utomette, from Akwa Ibom, was sacked from Ibom Air on May 9, seven days after he was employed as a catering handler.

The 29-year-old business administration graduate of the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic did not enjoy the benefit of receiving his first salary before he was kicked out of the job.

“This is to inform you that your services will no longer be required. This takes immediate effect,” says the termination letter, signed by Idorenyin Eddie, a human resources manager in Ibom Airlines Ltd.

Mr Eddie said in the letter that Mr Utomette would be given one-month salary in lieu of the sack notice, in addition to being paid some money for the few days he worked for Ibom Air.

Mr Utomette in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Tuesday, said a co-worker in Ibom Air informed him how his boss, the inflight services manager, came into the office some days ago fuming and accusing him of criticising the Akwa Ibom governor, Udom Emmanuel, on Facebook.

Mr Utomette accused the governor’s media aide, Aniekeme Finbarr, of initiating the controversy that led to his sack.

RelatedNews

VIDEO: COVID-19 vaccine offers hope for a safe country, free of Coronavirus – Buhari

VIDEO: Nigerians react to taking COVID-19 vaccines

UFC: Nigeria’s Israel Adesanya set for epic MMA clash

Lessons Niger Delta leaders must learn from Buhari – IYC president

“Mr Aniekeme Finbarr made a post on Facebook, stating that I am an APC supporter and that I have been making obnoxious remarks against Governor Udom Emmanuel,” the sacked employee said.

PREMIUM TIMES has seen a screenshot of Mr Finbarr’s Facebook post on Mr Utomette, prior to his sack.

“This brother said there were no industries in the state, typical of how APC supporters talk. Today, he works at Ibom Air,” Mr Finbarr stated in the Facebook post. “Let politics not allow us run down the genuine effort of government in creating jobs. We only have one Akwa Ibom state.”

Dangote adbanner 728x90_2 (1)

Besides his comment on the social media site, Mr Finbarr posted photos of Mr Utomette on his work outfit in Ibom Air office.

The comment and photos have since been taken down from Facebook.

Mr Finbarr declined comment when PREMIUM TIMES contacted him.

Mr Utomette admitted to PREMIUM TIMES that he made some comments on Facebook to express support for the APC governorship candidate in the state, Nsima Ekere, before the just concluded general election in the state.

He, however, denied ever making disparaging remarks against Governor Emmanuel.

Governor Emmanuel defeated the APC governorship candidate, Mr Ekere, to win reelection for second term.

ADVERTISEMENT

Section 42 of the Nigerian Constitution forbids discrimination against a citizen of Nigeria on grounds on political opinion, sex, ethnic group, or religious belief.

The Akwa Ibom government, in January this year, inaugurated Ibom Air, which is seen as a milestone in the history of the 31-year-old oil-rich state.

Governor Emmanuel said the state ventured into the airline business in order to “lessen the problems currently being encountered by numerous air travellers” to the state.

The airline is supervised by the state’s ministry of special duties and aviation.

The commissioner overseeing the ministry, Akan Okon, told PREMIUM TIMES he was not aware of Mr Utomette’s sack. He promised to investigate it.

“Membership of political party is not a consideration for employment in Akwa Ibom,” Mr Okon said.

The Commissioner for Information in the state, Charles Udoh, claimed ignorance of the sack of the airline employee.

“Employment into industries in the state are not done on political party’s basis, we are one people,” Mr Udoh said.

“No one is asked to show his PDP card before he is employed in the state. There must be some other reasons for his sack,” he added.

The sacked airline employee, Mr Utomette, said he responded to an online advertisement about the vacancies in the new airline and was overwhelmed with joy when he got the job.

As a catering handler, part of his job schedules would have been to assist in preparing, assembling, and stocking the airline catering store and flight galleries.

Mr Utomette appealed to Governor Emmanuel to intervene and help him get his job back.

“I just want to make a passionate plea to the governor to look into this matter. I don’t have any other state other than Akwa Ibom.

“I know the governor is a father to all. I have gone to church to celebrate this employment, after being unemployed for more than six years after my graduation. I have no means of survival, I just want my job back, please.” Mr Utomette said.

  • WhatsApp
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • Telegram
  • More
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket

Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility

Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.

For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.

By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.

Donate


TEXT AD: To advertise here . Call Willie +2347088095401...



JOIN THE CONVERSATION

  • Disqus (21)
premiumtimes



PT Mag Campaign AD

Previous Post

Tinubu commends Buhari over June 12 Democracy Day

Next Post

AFCON 2019: Mikel tops 25-man provisional list

Cletus Ukpong

Cletus Ukpong

Cletus Ukpong is PREMIUM TIMES' assistant editor in charge of Nigeria's South-South region. He is a graduate of Mass Communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Twitter: @CletusUkpong

More News

President Muhammadu Buhari

Lessons Niger Delta leaders must learn from Buhari – IYC president

March 6, 2021
APC FLag used to illustrate the story.

APC boycotts local council elections in Delta

March 6, 2021
Convicted fraudster, Henry Asuquo

Court convicts fraudster who disguised as soldier to dupe victims

March 6, 2021
APC FLag used to illustrate the story.

Ex-APC chairman quits party after Supreme Court ruling

March 6, 2021
The Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki [PHOTO CREDIT: @GovernorObaseki]

COVID-19: I’ll take vaccine first to boost confidence – Obaseki

March 5, 2021
L-R Rotimi Amaechi/Magus Abe

Supreme Court affirms sacking of Aguma as APC chairman in Rivers

March 5, 2021
Next Post
Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Genort Rohr.

AFCON 2019: Mikel tops 25-man provisional list

FILE PHOTO: Former Army chief General Ishaya Bamaiyi (C) is led out of the courtroom after regaining his freedom of attempted murder charge at the Ikeja High Court in Lagos on April 3, 2008. A Lagos high court has discharged and acquitted General Bamaiyi, former Army Chief during the dictatorial regime of General Sani Abacha, who has been standing trial on four counts of attempted murder since 1999. AFP PHOTO/PIUS UTOMI EKPEI (Photo credit should read PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP/Getty Images)

$8.4 million fraud: Drama as Ajudua’s counsel absconds midway into cross-examination of ex-COAS Bamaiyi

Discussion about this post

Search

#EndSARS: Latest Updates




Polaris Bank


JAIZ Ad


Access Bank Ad


NITDA Ad





Glo Ad

Subscribe to News via Email

Enter your email address and receive notifications of news by email.

Join 1,629,926 other subscribers.

Advertisement






netherland biz school Advert



Zenith Advert

ADVERTISEMENT

Our Digital Network

  • PT Hausa
  • Election Centre
  • Human Trafficking Investigation
  • Centre for Investigative Journalism
  • National Conference
  • Press Attack Tracker
  • PT Academy
  • Dubawa
  • LeaksNG
  • Campus Reporter

Resources

  • Oil & Gas Facts
  • List of Universities in Nigeria
  • LIST: Federal Unity Colleges in Nigeria
  • NYSC Orientation Camps in Nigeria
  • Nigeria’s Federal/States’ Budgets since 2005
  • Malabu Scandal Thread
  • World Cup 2018
  • Panama Papers Game
  • Our Digital Network
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Projects
  • Data & Infographics
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • News
    • Headline Stories
    • Top News
    • More News
    • Foreign
  • Investigations
  • Business
    • News Reports
    • Financial Inclusion
    • Analysis and Data
    • Business Specials
    • Opinion
    • Oil/Gas Reports
      • FAAC Reports
      • Revenue
  • Health
    • News Reports
    • Investigations
    • Data and Infographics
    • Health Specials
    • Features
    • Events
    • Primary Health Tracker
  • Agriculture
    • News Report
    • Research & Innovation
    • Data & Infographics
    • Special Reports/Features
    • Investigations
    • Interviews
    • Markets
  • Arts/Life
    • Arts/Books
    • Kannywood
    • Lifestyle
    • Music
    • Nollywood
    • Travel
  • Sports
    • Football
    • More Sports News
    • Sports Features
  • Projects
    • Panama Papers
    • Paradise Papers
    • Parliament Watch
    • AGAHRIN
  • Opinion
  • PT Hausa
  • The Membership Club
  • Dubawa
    • Dubawa NG
  • About Us
  • Advert Rates
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Store
  • DONATE

All content is Copyrighted © 2020 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.