The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has been appointed head of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign’s Directorate of Air Mobilisation ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
Naija News reports that the appointment places Keyamo in charge of coordinating air travel and aviation logistics to support the APC’s nationwide campaign activities.
The President also appointed the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, and Farouk Umar as Deputy Director I and Deputy Director II of the directorate, respectively.
Keyamo’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, announced the appointments in a statement.
Why APC Created Air Mobilisation Directorate
According to Moshood, the directorate was established because air transportation and logistics would play a crucial role in coordinating a campaign expected to cover all parts of Nigeria.
He explained that the directorate would manage the campaign’s air travel requirements, organise transportation for designated officials and staff, and coordinate flights to support campaign activities across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
The directorate will also work with other campaign departments to ensure effective coordination and efficient use of logistics resources.
Moshood added that its operations would be guided by relevant aviation regulations and electoral laws.
Why Keyamo Was Appointed
The statement highlighted Keyamo’s experience as aviation minister and his efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s aviation sector, improve its international standing and position the country as a leading aviation hub in Africa.
It said his understanding of the operational demands of the aviation industry was expected to provide effective leadership for the directorate.
“His familiarity with the operational demands of the aviation industry is expected to provide useful leadership in coordinating the directorate’s activities and establishing an effective framework for air-mobilisation planning,” the statement said.
Kuku, Umar to Support Nationwide Campaign Logistics
Moshood said the appointments of Kuku and Umar would strengthen the directorate by bringing additional leadership and technical expertise from the aviation sector.
According to the statement, their experience would help the directorate address the planning and coordination challenges associated with nationwide campaign travel.
“The appointment of Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku and Umar as Deputy Directors also brings aviation-sector leadership and technical experience into the directorate, strengthening its capacity to address the planning and coordination demands associated with nationwide campaign movements,” the statement added.
The appointments form part of the APC campaign’s preparations for coordinating air transportation and logistical support for activities across Nigeria.