Many would’ve been in trouble if I had died from chopper crash – Osinbajo

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria’s vice president on Sunday said a lot of persons in and out of government would have been in serious trouble if he did not survive the helicopter crash in Kogi State last February.

Osinbajo who spoke at the old Banquet Hall of the State House during a special thanksgiving service for the victory of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the recent presidential election, said that they would have been saddled with the responsibility of explaining their roles in needless conspiracy theories.

He noted that if he had died in the crash, which occurred while landing in Kabba, Kogi State before the general elections, many government and non-government officials, including his security details would have been blamed or put in trouble for many things they didn’t even know about.

To this end, he said that God deserved to be praised not only for saving his life but also for saving many other persons the trouble of being smeared with false allegations.

Osinbajo said “On February 2nd, God gave me reason to know that but for His grace, we would have been consumed, when our helicopter crashed.

“When the crashed occurred, for a moment there was complete silence. For a second, it occurred to me that if we had died, that is what it would have been – complete silence. But we all got out without a scratch. God delivered us.

“God also delivered those in charge of our security; even the government of Kogi State would also have been in trouble. We give God all the glory.

“I pray God will also be kind to you all also, that you will never be lacking in support, care and genuine prayers.

“God is surely worthy to be praised. I have no special qualifications to be here but exaltation comes from God”. He added

Osinbajo, who said he had looked forward for a quiet academic or campus life of a lecturer’s family, but “I wouldn’t have believed that I would be going round the country campaigning for votes in 2015 and thereafter”.

The thanksgiving service was attended by President of Christian Association of Nigeria, Supo Ayokunle; former head of state, Yakubu Gowon, and and his wife, Victoria; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; Head of Federal Civil Service, Winifred Oyo-Ita; Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; Senator Godswill Akpabio; ministers; some National Assembly members; members of the diplomatic corps; representatives of heads of different Christian denominations and others.