Dame Patience Jonathan, the wife of the former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan was not denied access to the VIP lounge at the Port Harcourt International Airport.

But rather, it was her convoy that was denied access to the foot of the aircraft during boarding formalities at the airport in line with international aviation best practices, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria said on Tuesday.

The authority said this in response to reports that Dame Jonathan was prevented from gaining access to the VIP area of Port Harcourt International Airport on Monday, allegedly on the orders from “above.”

FAAN described the stories as misleading and mischievous.

Contrary to the speculation, FAAN in a statement by Yakubu Dati, its General Manager, Corporate Affairs said the former First Lady’s convoy was stopped from driving to the foot of the aircraft strictly for safety and reasons as prescribed by ICAO International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO.

“We wish to state that no such thing happened as Dame Jonathan, like other family members of former Presidents and other designated principal officers of Government are officially entitled to the usage of airport VIP and Protocol lounges under the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria,” FAAN said.

“The Authority holds the former First Lady in high esteem, being the wife of our former President and therefore, could not have done anything that would suggest disrespect for her person.

“The former First Lady’s convoy was only denied access to the foot of the aircraft during boarding formalities at the airport in line with international aviation best practices, strictly for safety and reasons as prescribed by ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) Our security officials explained this fact to details of the former First Lady.

“We wish to recall that former President Goodluck Jonathan in his recent trips from the same airport has had to walk to the aircraft from the protocol lounge, in recognition of this ICAO regulation,” the Aviation authority concluded.