Controversy as Ibom Air sack employee for critising gov

The new airline, Ibom Air, is yet to officially commence business 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 controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

The employee, Daniel Utomette, was sacked by the airline 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,” the letter terminating his appointment signed by signed by Idorenyin Eddie, the human resources manager of the airline said.

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 on 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.

“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.

It was gathered 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.”

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