Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Nigerian elected first African ICAO president

Nigeria made history yesterday in Canada as the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) unanimously elected a Nigerian, Dr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, as the President of the organisation, the first African to occupy the position.
The election of Dr Aliu, whose term commences on January 1, 2014 through to December 31, 2016, took place at the ICAO council chambers, the Ministry of Aviation said in a statement.
The proposal of the Nigerian representative was made by his Singaporean counterpart, Ng Teachiou, and seconded by the representative from Saudi Arabia, the statement added.
The statement said that “all the voting members of the council were called country after country to voice their position on the candidature of Aliu and they unanimously declared their support for the Nigerian candidate. This was swiftly followed by a unanimous vote and declaration of Dr Aliu as the new president of the council by then outgoing President Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez . His declaration as the new ICAO helmsman was greeted with a thunderous ovation and congratulations from fellow Council members.”
Gonzalez who presided over the election with the Secretary General, Raymond Benjamin, expressed satisfaction with the  conduct and called on all members to extend the same level of cooperation given him to the new president, it said.
Meanwhile, Aviation Minister Stella  Oduah has congratulated President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the government and people of Nigeria as well as Dr Aliu on his election as the new President of ICAO. Oduah stated that Aliu’s election, the first African to head the international civil aviation body, is a landmark event.
Culled from Daily Trust

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