[PHOTOS] Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah In Another Car Scandal, 4 Limousines bought for moving VIPs
Another car purchase scandal has hit the embattled Minister of
aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, less than a week after a report showed
with evidence how two BMW bullet-proof cars worth N255 million were
purchased for Oduah in August.
The latest report by SaharaReporters, an online news source, alleged
that the National Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, an agency under the
Ministry of Aviation, also bought four Toyota Tundra vehicles for Oduah
at an unspecified amount of money.
The same medium had on 15 October revealed the BMW purchase by the cash-strapped Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.
The revelations triggered outrage and condemnation with many calling
on Oduah to resign or be fired by President Goodluck Jonathan for
corruption, mismanagement and breach of trust.
The new report alleged that the four vehicles are an addition to four limousines purportedly purchased for the movement of VIPs.
Photographs show the Limousines parked at the headquarters of the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria, TRACON, in Abuja today.
NAMA in a reaction admitted that the vehicles are parked within its premises in Abuja but said they belong to an unnamed person.
“The cars are parked within our premises but they do not belong to
us. They belong to someone who will address the press and unveil his
identity soon,” an official at NAMA said, pleading anonymity.
Supo Atobatele, spokesperson at NAMA was not available for comments.
The new report said NAMA’s CEO, Nnamdi Udo, reportedly made the
purchase and ‘donation’ of the Tundras to Stella Oduah in June this year
while the four Limousines were received in the third week of June but
have not been put to use.
Last week after the story of the two over priced BMW cars was
published, Oduah’s aides scurried to dismiss it. They later owned up
when the evidence was overwhelming.
Joe Obi, spokesperson to Oduah, said the cars were bought because the
minister’s life was in danger following her so-called transformation
agenda in the aviation industry.
However, following anger and condemnation, the Director General of
the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Fola Akinkuotu, claimed the
vehicles were meant for VIP movement.
A former lawmaker and leader of Anti-Corruption Network, Dino Melaye,
has said it is the duty of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to transport
international VIPs in Nigeria.
The minister has been battling a number of challenges in the aviation
sector before the latest corruption-related reports which threaten to
tear her reputation apart.
Twelve days before the leak of the BMW car purchase, an Associated
Airline plane carrying 20 people and the remains of Olusegun Agagu,
former governor of Nigeria’s southwestern state of
Ondo, crashed in
Lagos, killing 15 people.
The small plane came down only seconds after take-off at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The next day, on 4 October, another plane, belonging to Kabo Air and
loaded with 512 pilgrims and crew, crash-landed in the northern city of
Sokoto, damaging some airport equipment and coming to a stop with burst
tyres.
Two days after, Dana Air’s licence was suspended after an air return
due to engine failure. Arik Air also had an air return and hovered in
the air for about 30 minutes.
Shortly after, an IRS Airline plane loaded with 89 passengers had an
emergency landing in Nigeria’s northern city of Kaduna. The passengers
disembarked from the runway even as firefighters and other emergency
teams surrounded the airport.
These accidents and serious incidents came only 16 months after a
Dana Air plane crashed in Lagos on 3 June last year and killed 163
people.
The minister was still under heavy criticisms and lawmakers had
already scheduled a public hearing with her to explain why close to 200
people have died in plane crashes since she became minister of aviation
on 2 July 2011, when the latest scandals blew open.
Meanwhile, reports said Stella Oduah left Nigeria early today for undisclosed reasons.
When contacted, Joe Obi, the minister spokesperson said there was no ban on the minister to travel out of Nigeria.
Yakubu Dati, spokesperson of the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria who often spoke for Oduah, said he could not confirm the
information since he was in Togo.
“What I can however say is that with Dino Melaye going to protest at
the ministry of aviation tomorrow in Abuja, it shows the witch-hunt
against Oduah is political. It’s from APC,” he said.
N255m Car Deal: Stella Oduah Responds To Jonathan’s Query,Says Her Side Of The Story
Embattled Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, who is facing
separate probe panels set up by President Goodluck Jonathan as well as
the National Assembly over the purchase of N255 million armoured cars
has written the president to explain her side of the story.
The President on Tuesday issued query to her to explain her role in the purchase of the armoured cars.
In her response which Vanguard obtained exclusively, the minister
said procurement of the cars followed due process and was provided for
in the NCAA 2013 budget.
Defence
In her defence titled: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ON THE PROCUREMENT OF NCAA
OPERATIONAL VEHICLES, she wrote: “The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority,
NCAA, is the statutory regulator of the Nigeria Civil Aviation
Industry.
Consequently, the NCAA is charged with oversight responsibilities
over all civil aviation operations in the country, including safety,
security and strict compliance with ICAO Standards and
Recommended
Practices, SARPs, and Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, NCARs.
2. Towards the effective implementation of its statutory regulatory
responsibilities, therefore, it is imperative that the NCAA is fully
equipped with highly specialised tools and facilities, including
adequate operational vehicles to cover all 22 national airports and over
400 airstrips. In keeping with standard practice, provision is
therefore made annually for the replacement of obsolete, inadequate and
unreliable monitoring equipment.
3.In the 2013 budgetary appropriation, provision was made for the
procurement of specialised equipment (including operational vehicles) to
complement and in some cases replace obsolete ones.
Furthermore, the fact that NCAA, as the regulator of the industry,
often plays host to dignitaries from ICAO, IATA, US FAA, AFRAA, AFCAC
BAGASO, CANSO, ACI and a host of others makes it necessary to have
specialised operational vehicles.
4.With regard to the procurement of additional operational vehicles
(including BMW Security Vehicles), the following due process was
observed:
(I) By letter dated April 15, 2013, NCAA officially requested
authorisation from the Federal Ministry of Aviation to procure 56
operational vehicles through lease financing. This option was proposed
to the ministry to enable the NCAA make 36 monthly payments based on
receipts from Internally Generated Revenue, IGR.
Approval
The Ministry therefore granted due approval.
(ii)Based on the ministry’s approval, the NCAA invited Expressions of
Interest from all Banks in Nigeria for the financing of the said
vehicles. EOI was adopted because the procurement is two sided. First,
the financier would have to be selected before the supplier is
determined. This is in line with procurement best practices.
(iii) On May 24, 2013, the response received from the various banks
to the Expression of Interest, EOI, request was opened publicly and
minutes of the opening exercise was duly documented. During the EOI
opening exercise, NCAA got commendation from one of the Civil Society
Organisations, CSOs, approved by BPP who were invited for the opening
exercise.
(iv) The evaluation of the expression of interests was held on May
31, 2013 during which First Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc and Stanbic IBTC
emerged most responsive. On the June 10, 2013 the above three banks were
invited to submit Financial Proposals. Thereafter, First Bank emerged
the highest rated responsive bidder.
(v)Between June 20 and 25, 2013, invoices were received from various
accredited motor vehicle dealers during which only Coscharis Motors
Limited quoted for BMW Security Vehicles.
Tenders Board
(vi) On June 28, 2013, NCAA Parastatal Tenders Board approved the
selection of First Bank Ltd for the Lease Financing as well as
Metropolitan Motor Vehicles and Coscharis for the supply of the
vehicles. All necessary approvals were duly sought and obtained
accordingly.
(vii) Between July 8, 2013 to August, 12, 2013 various meetings were
held with First Bank Ltd, contract agreement was signed and necessary
documentation executed.
Your Excellency is respectfully invited to note:
(i) The crucial statutory role of the NCAA in regulating civil
aviation operations in the country, including safety, security and
strict compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs)
and Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs).
(ii) The need for NCAA to be fully equipped with highly specialized
tools and facilities (including operational vehicles) to enable the
effective implementation of its statutory functions.
(iii) The procurement of specialized operational vehicles is duly
provided for in the NCAA 2p 13 (IGR) Budget and the need for adopting
instalmental lease payments over36rionths.
(iii) That Due Process was followed in the procurement of the said operational vehicles.
Please your Excellency my continued loyally and esteemed regards.
Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, OON, Honourable Minister.
Jonathan under pressure to sack Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah
President Goodluck has come under intense pressure to sack the
Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, over the bulletproof car scandal
rocking the ministry.
The call for the minister’s removal followed the ministry’s
confirmation on Wednesday that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority
bought two bulletproof vehicles worth $1.6m (N255m) for the minister.
SUNDAY PUNCH gathered on Friday that the president’s associates have told him to remove Oduah to save the reputation of his administration.
“She has to go. We have told the President that. This disgrace is too
much,” one of the president’s close associates told one of our
correspondents.
An online news medium, SaharaReporters, had reported on Tuesday that the armoured vehicles were delivered to the minister in August.
It reported that documents in its possession showed that the
transaction for the purchase of the two BMW cars started in June, but
the request for the delivery and payment for them was fast-tracked
between August 13 and 15, 2013.
The NCAA on Friday said the cars were in its possession and are used to “convey the minister and visiting foreign dignitaries.”
This contradicted the statement of the minister’s aide, Mr. Joel Obi.
who had earlier admitted that the cars were purchased because Oduah’s
life was in danger.
Following the development, civil society groups, on Friday, called on
President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately sack and order the
prosecution of Oduah.
Leaders of the Civil Liberties Organisation, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders and Campaign for Democracy, who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH in
separate interviews, said the minister’s acceptance of the cars,
amounted to receiving a bribe to neglect her duty, leading to the loss
of lives in plane crashes that had occurred during her tenure.
The Executive Director of CLO, Mr. Ibuchukwu Ezike, described the
minister’s action as evidence of the level to which impunity had grown
among public officers because of the Federal Government’s inability to
fight corruption.
Ezike demanded that Oduah be sacked and prosecuted.
He said, “If this happened in climes where laws are obeyed; where the
credibility of processes is respected, such public officer is sacked
and prosecuted. We believe that what has happened is enough reason for
the minister, not only to be removed, but to be prosecuted.
“But these things happen and nothing is done. That is why we have
been saying that the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is
not interested in fighting corruption.”
Similarly, the Executive Director of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said
Oduah and her accomplices should be sacked and prosecuted for corruption
and negligence of duty.
He said, “Not only should Oduah be sacked, she and her accomplices
should be promptly arrested, investigated, prosecuted and actually
punished for such heinous crime. What she did is like taking a bribe
from NCAA, which means she will no longer be able to maintain standard
in aviation sector.
And when standards are not maintained, all you get
is that ordinary Nigerians are killed in plane crashes.
“The woman (Oduah) should be prosecuted, not only for corruption, but
also for gross negligence, which led to the NCAA not taking adequate
precautionary measures on the flights that have crashed during her
tenure, killing about 300 people.”
Also, the President of CD, Joe Okei-Odumakin, demanded that the
bulletproof car scandal be thoroughly investigated by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission.
Okei-Odumakin said in order to stem impunity in the system, the minister should be sacked, prosecuted and punished.
She said, “We have been following the developments in the aviation
sector, but with this colossal waste of public funds and the arrogance
with which the explanation was given, we ask that Oduah should step
aside.
“We want to use this opportunity to call on the EFCC to thoroughly
investigate the scam and ensure that all those who are involved in
purchasing the vehicles and the minister herself are prosecuted.”
In their reaction to the scam, members of the House of
Representatives, also demanded that the minister and the Nigerian Civil
Aviation Authority be probed.
Senators, however, opted for a more cautious approach to the issue; as most of them declined comments when contacted.
The representatives, who were favourably disposed to a probe, however, differed on the approach to the investigation.
The Chairman, House Committee on Financial Crimes, Drugs/Narcotics,
Mr. Adams Jagaba, said President Goodluck Jonathan “must urgently ask
the minister to step aside” to allow for free investigation into the
scandal, while the Minority Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila,
suggested that the investigation should be done with caution “by
ensuring that Oduah’s constitutional right to fair hearing is not denied
her.”
Jagaba, who expressed shock over the development, described it as the
“highest level of corruption in a government that is fighting
corruption.”
Urging Jonathan to suspend Oduah immediately, the lawmaker said the minister should answer certain questions immediately.
He asked her to tell Nigerians why she needed “this protection by spending heavily to buy bulletproof cars.”
Jagaba also asked the minister to explain why she needed more
protection than Jonathan or the presiding officers of the National
Assembly.
He added that Jonathan must prove to Nigerians that there were no
“super-human ministers” in his cabinet by directing Oduah to step aside.
He spoke further, “This is corruption at its highest level.
“Who is Oduah afraid of that she needs that level of protection? Is
she saying that she needs more protection than Mr. President,
Vice-President, Senate President and Speaker of the House of
Representatives?
“We have the Ministry of Petroleum Resources that is generating our
revenue. We have the Ministry of Finance; are the ministers in these
ministries demanding Oduah’s level of protection?
“That ministry (aviation) is due for probe. There has to be a
thorough investigation into how she spent all the billions allocated to
the sector under her.
On his part, Gbajabiamila observed that much as the “allegation is a
national embarrassment,” he would want the minister to be accorded her
constitutional right to fair hearing.
“It’s a national embarrassment. Unfortunately, the EFCC cannot look
into it as demanded by most Nigerians because now we hear the EFCC is
broke. Cry, my beloved country.”
Similarly, the House spokesman, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, said, “The House
is interested in knowing the relevance of the cars because tax payers’
money is involved. Is she Mr. President to drive in N255m bulletproof
cars? Anything that is of interest to our constituents, we are also
interested.”
In the Senate, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Information and Media, Eyinnaya Abaribe, told SUNDAY PUNCH that it would be too hasty to offer an opinion on the scandal because the matter was before the Upper Legislative chamber.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Victor Lar, did not
pick calls made to his mobile phone neither did he respond to a text
message sent to him.
Similarly, Senators Babafemi Ojudu, Ganiyu Solomon, and Ayo
Akinyelure declined to comment on the issue when one of our
correspondents contacted them on the telephone.
In spite of public call for probe, the nation’s anti-graft agencies
have kept sealed lips on possible investigation into the scam.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s spokesperson, Mr.
Wilson Uwujaren, only said, “EFCC does not give advance notice to
conduct any investigation”.
When also contacted, the spokesperson for the Independent Corrupt
Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Mr. Folu Olamiti,
declined comment.
