Peter Obi, the former Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, (LP) and several other passengers have reportedly escaped plane crash at the local wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport on Tuesday.
According to aviation sources who spoke to Irohinoodua, Obi who was in Economy Class was in the Airpeace plane with flight number P47123 when it took off from Abuja on Tuesday.
The take off was scheduled for 12:35 but it eventually took off by 12:59.
The Airpeace plane was to land 1:55 but landed 2:25 with approximately 30 minutes behind schedule.
Reliable sources said for about 30 minutes the pilot lost control leaving the plane to hover instilling fear and trembling on awed passengers.
“It’s was a nasty experience. The plane made many attempts to land but had to retreat. The passengers were jolted. People were praying and casting out the devil as the plane’s destiny was uncertain. At a point it was as if the plane would crash on many houses,” one of the passengers said.
A mother of two, she said she almost gave up as the plane hovered aimlessly between ascending or descending into chaos.
“Peter Obi was in the plane. Many lost hope. We though the plane would crash. He was calm and resolute. He was telling people around him to be calm that all would be well. We thank God we survived. No one would have believed it was an accident if the plane had crashed with Peter Obi inside,” another passenger revealed.
He said while other passengers were in great confusion, Peter Obi was comforting them that they should trust in God.
A businessman in the plane, Dr Benson Onuwaje was said to have summoned courage by standing up to pray for everybody telling them all would be well.
“The man Dr Onuwaje is a man of courage. He is a man of God. He rose up and started praying. He was in the first class. He called the name of God and assured us that we would land safely. We thank God our prayer was answered” Mathew Adekunle who was on the plane said.
Obi recently donated N20 million to support the government of Niger State in its effort to bring relief to the victims of a devastating flood that killed about 200 people in the Mokwa community of the state.
Obi made the donation when he traveled to the state to condole and show solidarity with the governor, Umar Bago, and the good people of the state over the incident.
