More and more groups are also calling for Minister
Oduah’s sack.
President Goodluck Jonathan has queried the Minister of
Aviation, Stella Oduah, demanding a detailed explanation from her concerning
the allegation that she arm-twisted an agency under her supervision, the
Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, to buy her two armoured cars for N255
million, PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report today.
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| Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah |
In a memo marked “Restricted”, and written on a State House
letterhead, Mr. Jonathan directed the
embattled minister to provide him a detailed report on the procurement of the
controversial bullet-proof cars, especially the cost, procurement processes and
other issues relating to the transaction that have been raised by the media.
“The president is really angry at the disgrace that this
shameful episode has brought upon his administration that is already hated by
millions of Nigeria,” said a presidency source who has seen the memo sent to
Mrs Oduah by the president. “The president has queried her as a way of
following due process. He wants her to state her own side of the story in black
and white.
“The president hardly feels this angry over an issue. I can
tell you that except he has a change of mind, Oduah is a goner already.”
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the president asked the minister
to respond to the query, dated October 21, before his arrival from Israel,
where he and some governors and ministers are expected to perform this year’s
pilgrimage.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media, Reuben Abati,
was not available to comment for this story. Repeated calls to his mobile
telephone did not connect Tuesday night. An aide said he had been busy
preparing for the trip to Israel with the President.
The spokesperson for Minister Oduah, Joe Obi, could also not
be reached. He did not answer or return calls. So also was Yakubu Dati, the
coordinating General Manager for Public Affairs for the aviation agencies, who
has been defending the minister since the scandal broke.
However, an aide of the minister confirmed Mrs Oduah received
the query on Monday and has been scrambling to put together a convincing explanation
for the president.
“I can tell you that they have been cooking up explanations
they believe will assuage the President,” said an aide who asked not to be
named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter.
“They are trying to destroy evidence as well. The sensible
thing would have been for the president to suspend her before launching an
enquiry. Now she is still in charge and at liberty to destroy evidence.”
The key issues the President wants the minister to explain
are the allegations she inflated the cost of the cars while also violating the
2013 Appropriation Act and the Public Procurement Act in the acquisition of the
controversial cars.
She also has to convince the president that she did not by
her action violate a number of Nigeria’s anti-corruption laws.
PREMIUM TIMES had authoritatively reported that the
multimillion contract was never listed or approved in any government budget as
required by law, neither was it openly advertised or bided for.
The contract was also not listed in the budget of the NCAA,
the agency compelled by the minister to make the purchase; and was not listed
by the Federal Airport Authority, FAAN or Nigerian Airspace Management Agency,
NAMA.
The ministry’s own budget too, had no plan to purchase any
car for the minister, or other officials this year.
Spending public funds on unbudgeted projects attracts three
years in jail and a fine of N100, 000 the Corrupt Practices and Other Related
Offences law stipulates.
Also, contracts involving public funds without due procurement
processes- basically open advertising and bidding- draws a minimum of five
years, and a maximum of 10 years in jail, the Public Procurement law says.
Mrs Oduah had reportedly compelled the NCAA, to buy the two
BMW 760LI armoured cars for her.
Her media assistant, Joe Obi, confirmed the procurement of
the cars, claiming the agency bought the vehicles to protect the minister from
“imminent threats” to her life.
The confirmation attracted outrage from Nigerians, especially
anti-corruption crusaders and opposition politicians, who did not only demand
her sack, but also called for an immediate investigation into the matter by the
nation’s anti-graft agencies.
According to them, the transaction did not go through the
procurement process neither were the vehicles budgeted for. They also claim
that the cost of the vehicles might have been massively inflated.
Lagos lawyer and activist, Femi Falana, wrote the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, last Friday, demanding the minister’s
resignation and an immediate investigation by the commission, failing which he
would head for court to compel the Commission to do so.
Another anti-corruption group, Anti-Corruption Network, ACN,
headed by a former member of the House of Representatives, Dino Melaye, also gave
Mrs Oduah 72 hours to refund the N255 million used to purchase the cars. The
group also threatened to sue her.
Other groups that called for the minister’s head include the
Conference for Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, Say No Campaign Nigeria, SNCN,
and Centre for Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC.
Mrs Oduah had reportedly made desperate moves to suppress the
matter since it blew open by reaching out to some influential individuals and
socio-cultural groups, including Aka Ikenga to mount a campaign that she was
being victimised for stepping on the toes of some influential forces in the
aviation sector.
She was reported to have also reached out to some media
organisations to help checkmate the attacks on her.
Besides, she tried unsuccessfully to seek audience with Mr.
Jonathan.
On Tuesday, a day after the president’s query was issued, the
NCAA made further attempts to save the minister.
Mr. Dati insisted in a statement Tuesday that due process was
followed in the purchase of the vehicles for the minister.
He also claimed that those calling for Mrs Oduah’s head were
doing so with the aim of preventing Mr. Jonathan from contesting the 2015 presidential
election.
Source: Premium Times
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