Friday 18 October 2013

Nigeria: Oduah's N255 Million Cars - FG, National Assembly Evade Comments

Daily Trust (Abuja)

Francis Okeke, Turaki A. Hassan, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, Ibrahim Kabiru Sule and Daniel Adugbo

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Photo: Leadership
Aviation Minister Stella Oduah
The federal government yesterday fenced off enquiries over the purchase of two BMW armoured cars worth N255 million for the Minister of Aviation Stella Oduah.
United States based online publication, Sahara Reporters recently reported that the aviation minister had compelled the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, to purchase two BMW cars worth N255 million for her.
The story went viral on the internet for days before the Ministry of Aviation confirmed to a national newspaper yesterday that the cars had been bought for the minister because her life is under real and imminent threat.
The newspaper quoted Mr. Joe Obi, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, as saying that the two armoured BMW cars were to protect his boss from "imminent threats."
"Yes, it is true that some security vehicles were procured for the use of the office of the honourable minister in response to the clear and imminent threat to her personal security and life following the bold steps she took to reposition the sector.
"When she came on board as the minister, she inherited a lot of baggage in terms of concession and lease agreements in the sector, which were clearly not in the interest of the government and people of Nigeria
"And so, she took bold steps and some of these agreements were reviewed and some were terminated, and these moves disturbed some entrenched interests in the sector, and within this period, she began to receive imminent threats to her life; therefore, the need for the vehicles," he added.
When Daily Trust sought to know from the ministry since when the minister's life has been in danger and if the threat had been reported to security agencies; what measures the agencies took to mitigate the threat; on whose advice the vehicles were purchased and who approved the purchase and if the purchase was appropriated in the budget, Mr. Joe Obi failed to return calls or text messages sent to him.
When contacted last night, spokesman for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim, Mr. Sam Nwaobasi, said he cannot say anything on the matter because he had already left the office and the department he could have channeled our questions to, had also closed.
"I can't respond to that now. I can only give you an answer if I get to the office and make consultations. Please look at the time now. I have no answers for your questions," he said.
The Senate has said that it was not aware that the aviation minister Stella Oduah has purchased two armoured vehicles.
Speaking to Daily Trust yesterday, Senate spokesman Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, Abia), said "we don't have any information about that. I only comment on what is before the Senate and there is no such thing before the Senate as far as I am concerned before we went on vacation. I don't have any comment to make."
Senator Mohamed Maccido (PDP, Sokoto), who chairs the appropriation committee did not answer calls put to his mobile line and also did not respond to text message sent to him.
Also, the chairman Senate committee on aviation Senator Hope Uzodinma (PDP,Imo), whose committee was mandated to probe the aviation sector, did not respond to text messages sent to him and also did not answer calls put to him.
Also efforts to contact the House of Representatives' aviation committee chairman, Nkiruka Onyejiocha (PDP, Abia) for reaction to this development last night proved unsuccessful, as the law-maker could neither responded to the written text message nor did she answer the numerous phone calls.

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