Sudan apologizes to Nigeria over senate leader plane rows
October 28, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government issued a formal apology to Nigeria over an incident involving its senate president David Mark whose plane was denied land in Khartoum airport this week.
When the plane carrying the Nigerian senators got to Chad airspace, the Sudanese authorities informed them that the airport will be closed for maintenance and as such they could not land.
“We apologize for this mishap; the Sudanese government is embarrassed because it was not intended” the Sudanese presidential adviser Ghazi Salah Al-Deen said.
“The incident was caused by communication gap, because for some time now, the Khartoum airport runway has been undergoing repairs between 8:00am and 3:00pm. However, the incident is regrettable” he said.
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Ayogu Eze told local Nigeria media that Mark got in touch with Nigeria’s ambassador to Sudan who confirmed that he had similar information.
“In fact, they said the airport would re-open by 3pm, meaning that the Senate President who was already in Chad would have to wait for another seven hours or thereabout” he added.
“So, at that point, the Senate President felt that the best thing to do was to return to Nigeria. We have already crossed- checked with the ambassadors; Nigeria’s ambassador and that of the Sudan”.
Some Nigerian officials sought to downplay the incident saying it does not amount to a diplomatic row but more of a communication breakdown.
But the lead Senator Mark said the incident “is totally unacceptable to Nigeria. We feel extremely disappointed over the incident because it was a scheduled visit.”
Back in Abuja a controversy erupted after it was revealed that Nigerian president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua invited Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir to the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) summit.
Bashir however decided to stay away and instead dispatched his 2nd Vice President Ali Osman Taha to represent Sudan.
(ST)
tiomdit_maker
Sudan apologizes to Nigeria over senate leader plane rows
Yeah,is not a new thing to a country led by a crimoinal dictator.The country is always suspicious.And the wose part of it,why would they scheduled first the visitation and threat again the visitors.Sudan will never learned untill they removed that evil man Al Bashir Donky.
spla soldier
Sudan apologizes to Nigeria over senate leader plane rows
Of late I have started reading some segments of your letters posted on the Sudan Tribube News Comment section. what struck me most is how disunited our Southern Sudanese Youth are today. Treading of insults using hardhitting words. Members of one tribal group pointing accussing fingers at members of another tribal group.
This is insane. The last thing our people of Southern Sudan need at this moment is disunity. Twenty one years of savage civil war has left our country in total ruins our leaders brutally traumatised and the entire population depressed
It would be naive of anyone to say that after CPA things are sailling on well and our leaders are doing their best. Our leaders deserve to be critised when they don’t do what is expected of them. By the same token they deserve more than respect. For they put their lives in the lines of fire and sacrifficed more alot for the sake of the motherland so that you and I can enjoy the peace we have today
History has taught us that it was disunity that brought down some of our most brilliant leaders and the subsequent price paid being twenty one years in the bush the time which would have been shortened had we been united against one common enemy:the Jallaba.
I acknowledge the fact that many setbacks bedeviled our movement in the course of our struggle for freedom better life and dignity in our rightful place in the Sudan. In fact there are dark days in the corridors of our struggle. Most of us find it very difficult to part with these ugly pasts. however it is only reconciliation and forgiveness that will heal the wounds of the past.
In modern South Africa the most hineous crimes against humanity were pepertrated against the black race. If Black South Africans could forgive and reconcile with the Boers then why can’t we forgive and reconcile with the fellow Southern Sudanese.
The battle that we must wage now is to win the hearts and the minds of those Southern Sudanese who are still dug in in the ranks of the Jallaba. Who are going to be the leaders when the old guards are gone if I may ask. I believe every one and each of us knows the only answer to this question. Great people are not made. They are people who can go an extra mile. Long Live Our Beloved Southern Sudan.
longk
Sudan apologizes to Nigeria over senate leader plane rows
Dear Mr. Mark
you are very lucky, they were planning to bomb your plane. Why you don’t go to Darfur or Southern Sudan? Please don’t attempted again to go to Khartoum, they are Terriorsts including their leader Criminal Bashire……………………………………………………………………………..
mabook
Sudan apologizes to Nigeria over senate leader plane rows
DAER MR MARK
SORRY about that, THIS country will never be safe, And will never be respect by others foreign countries becouse of that idiot president.killings’s own peoples, Idon’t even know.why rest of AFRICA UNIONS thinks about?
Time1
Sudan apologizes to Nigeria over senate leader plane rows
This very embracing that a leading country in Africa like Nigeria is being treated with disrespect by the Islamic regime in Khartoum, Nigeria should not be quite to them about such behavior, or this regime or Omer bashir will disrespect Nigeria over and over again.
David_N
Sudan apologizes to Nigeria over senate leader plane rows
Thanks and Good excellent work Khartoum.
Keep it up a good work from Khartoum to Euphrates/Tigriss River of Mesopotamia.
PLEASE separate SOUTH in 2011.
Thanks.