Egufe Yaugborhi & Chioma Onuegbu

GOVERNOR Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has given reasons he decided to board ‘Ibom Air’, on Tuesday instead of the official private jet.

He noted that it was to promote the state’s own brand.

Eno, who spoke weekend while fielding questions from newsmen at the Victor Attah Int’l Airport shortly on arrival from Abuja, stressed that by virtue of his position as the state governor, it is his job to  promote the

  state-owned airline.

He described the airline’s standard in service delivery as spectacular and world- class.

He however described as baseless, the insinuation in some quarters that the reason he used the commercial aircraft to Abuja  was because his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel was in custody of the state’s official private jet.

His words: “We are promoting Akwa Ibom Brand and the state owns hundred percent shares in this airline. By virtue of my office I am the chief marketing officer of the airline if you may ask. My job is to promote our brand.

“We are planning to bring buses as part of  the palliative. We are in talks with some companies. When the buses finally come and I board one of those buses, would people now say the immediate past Governor has taken over my official vehicles?.

“There is no truth whatsoever that the immediate past Governor is with our aircraft. And this is not just the kind of thing we should be talking or arguing about. Akwa Ibom should move beyond this sort of cheap talk.

“Again, I want to put it very clear that everyone has his style of leadership. My own style is to demystify governance. I like to get in contact with people, and I like to be myself. This Government thing will come and go, so what is the big deal?”