AS mounting outrage trails the purchase of two BMW armoured vehicles for the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, for N225 million, Elombah.com investigation has exposed the reason
behind the silence of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the raging matter of the ruling party's $1.6 million dollar car scandal at the aviation ministry. Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola and his political Godfather, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu two years ago took delivery of new acquisitions; two N600 million bullet-proof Jeeps.
The cars are customized- by special order It is however believed that the Lagos state government footed the bill for the cars.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) is known to issue condemnatory press releases at the flimsiest of excuse, the last being their statement describing as the height of insensitivity the decision by First Lady Patience Jonathan to receive an Honorary Doctorate award in far away South Korea, even as Nigeria’s public universities have remained shut for many months under the watch of her husband.
In a statement issued in Lagos three days ago by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said if the First Lady and her advisers had been perceptive enough, they would have known that embarking on such a jamboree at this time is an assault on the sensibilities of Nigerians in general, and the students who have been marooned at home for almost four months in particular.
Critics ask why in this reported purchase of two BMW armoured cars amounting to 255 million naira for personal use by the Aviation Minister, Ms Stella Oduah the opposition part has kept mum. The Ministry of Aviation excruciatingly confirmed that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) bought the cars for the Minister.
Source identified Fashola and Tinubu's purchase as three bullet proof cars- Jeeps- with bomb detector apparatus and surveillance cameras.
Findings revealed that two of the purchase are with Governor Fashola for official usage as the helmsman of Lagos state. Asiwaju Tinubu is said to have one to his name as party leader.
The brand of the bullet proof cars is identified as Toyota Prado Jeep.
The cost of each jeep- including handling, registration, insurance and other fees- is two hundred million naira. The three jeeps are valued at six hundred million naira. This is double the amount spent by Ms Stella Oduah in the current bullet-proof jeep scandal.
The three automobiles were reportedly bought for Asiwaju Tinubu and Governor Fashola on grounds of 'security'.
Insiders say that the two political figures have not gone public with their jeeps for fear of attracting public opprobrium.
Angry Nigerians say Stella Oduah’s corruption and profligacy should not be condoned at a time the country appears too broke to pay university teachers.
Anti-corrupt crusaders and opposition politicians, on Thursday expressed outrage over the purchase of two BMW armoured vehicles for the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, for N225 million by an agency under her supervision.
Special Assistant to the Minister on media, Joe Obi, in a media interview confirmed the vehicles were purchased for her principal to protect her from “imminent threats.”
She was reported to have compelled the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, to buy the vehicles for her.
Anti-corruption campaigners and politicians, condemned the purchase of the armoured vehicles and demanded the minister’s immediate resignation and a subsequent probe of the transaction.
Leader of the Anti-Corruption Network, ACN, Dino Melaye, said his organisation had already briefed its lawyers, who he said would file a suit against Ms. Oduah on Monday.
He said his organisation had conducted investigation into the matter and found out that there was no threat to the minister’s life as claimed by his media aide.
Mr. Dino also said the vehicles could have been purchased for far less the amount they were purportedly procured.
“This government promotes, massages, embraces corruption,” an angry Mr. Melaye, a former member of the House of Representatives, said in a telephone interview with our reporter.
“There are two questions to ask – was the N225 million appropriated by the National Assembly? Does the purchase of the vehicles not negate the monetisation policy, which says that only the President, Vice president, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, their deputies and a few other public officials should have official cars? If she does not fall into this category, why did they purchase the vehicles for her?
“They claim there was a threat to her life. There was no threat to Stella Oduah’s life. Even if there was a threat, we have done our investigation and we discovered that those vehicles cost less than N100 million.
“You are spending N225 million at a time you claim there is no money for ASUU, at a time you cannot pay statutory allocations to states.
“Jonathan administration is the most corrupt administration in Nigeria.”
Ezenwa Nwagwu, Convener of Say No Campaign, Nigeria, SNCN, asked the anti-graft agencies to wade into the scandal immediately.
He wondered if the N225 million used to purchase the vehicles were appropriated, insisting that the NCAA officer(s), who authorised the release of the money, should be penalized.
Mr. Nwagwu added, “We have lost about 200 citizens to sheer incompetence and add salt to injury, we are being told that a cash-strapped agency under her had to cough out that amount of money to provide armoured vehicles.
“In saner climes, she would have resigned. But here we are treated to half truths and excuses
No comments:
Post a Comment