Prof Yemi Osinbajo

BY OUR REPORTER

Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has at last broken his one-month silence over his involvement in a helicopter crash on his way to a campaign rally in Kogi State, which was the second crash in seven months.

The Vice President, who spoke at the March 2019 edition of the monthly Holy Ghost Service of the Redeemed Christian Church of God RCCG, with the theme: Swimming in Glory 3 held at the Redemption Camp located on Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, said his narrow escape from being killed in the chopper crash was due to prayers offered for him by the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye.

He also used the occasion to celebrate his victory at last Saturday’s presidential election in which his party, the All Progressives Congress APC was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, which implies that he has been re-elected for another term of four years.

The Vice President, who was before his election in 2015 a Pastor In Charge of Province of the RCCG was the last out of the 10 persons that gave testimonies at the special March Holy Ghost Service, which is also used annually to mark the birthday of Pastor Adeboye, who turned 77 years today.

According to Osinbajo, he would probably have died in the chopper crash but for special prayers for protection offered for him by the G.O, adding that he was at the all-night event to thank God for His mercies and the salvation of his soul as well as members of the RCCG for their prayers.

He said: “I want to thank the Almighty God for the salvation of my soul. I also want to thank the RCCG for your prayers. I have two testimonies. First, I was here for the February Holy Ghost Service and after the service I went to see daddy.

“That day, the General Overseer prayed for special protection for me and later that same we were going to Kogi State for a political rally and the helicopter we were travelling in crashed landed at Kabba and none of the 12 of us in the helicopter had a scratch and last week I was re-elected Vice President for another term of four years, praise the Lord”.

Osinbajo, who came in company of his wife, Dolapo, was greeted with a loud shout of Halleluiah from the large congregation.

Recall that the VP’s spokesman, Mr. Laolu Akande, had in a tweet on February 2, announced Osinbajo’s involvement in the crash, saying that all the occupants of the chopper were safe.

According to the tweet, the VP continued with his engagements and plans, which included the campaign rally scheduled to hold in Kogi State.

It would also be recalled that the Kabba chopper crash was the second air mishap that Osinbajo would escape in seven months.

On June 7, 2018, a chopper that was to convey him from the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada in Abuja, was forced to land, few seconds after takeoff.

Osinbajo was in the school for the graduation ceremony of Senior Division Course 1 /2018 participants. The chopper had earlier taken the VP to the college for the ceremony.

However, while taking off, it could not ascend beyond the tree level, before it emitted thick smoke and landed on the same spots few seconds after takeoff.

There were however insinuations that there might be political undertones to the mishaps, especially given the frequency of the accidents but a report by the Accident Investigating Bureau AIB cited human errors, especially for the Kabba mishap, indicting operators of the chopper, Caverton for poor maintenance.