Oduah’s N255m Toys: Public Hearing To Hold Thursday

Members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday ordered an investigation into the N255m bulletproof cars purchased for the Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

The lawmakers were angry as they debated the controversial car purchase, which came under matters of urgent public importance gave their Committee on Aviation one week to conduct the probe.

The Minority Whip, Sampson Osagie, observed that the action of the minister and the NCAA had raised doubts over the “sincerity of the Federal Government to fight corruption.”

He noted that the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission spelt out the entitlements of all public officers, which Oduah was already enjoying as a minister.

Osagie added that the investigation should address the following:

• Whether it is correct that the purchase (of the cars) was made or not ;

• Whether the purchase was authorised by any appropriation law or not;

• Whether the NCAA has been complying with Fiscal Responsibility Act on Internally-Generated Revenue or not;

• Whether the minister is entitled to such vehicles under any law in Nigeria or not;

• Whether (if the answer to question two above is in the negative), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and all anti- graft agencies are not bound to investigate and prosecute all those involved or not.

• Whether (if question two above is correct), the President can continue to retain the services of the minister and all those involved in the matter or not.

Osagie told the House that the rest of the world would laugh at Nigeria as a country whose universities had been shut for months owing to funding issues, yet its minister could afford the luxury of two BMW bulletproof cars worth N255m.

A statement from the Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha indicated that the investigative public hearing is billed to hold Thursday (tomorrow) at 10:00am.

Others expected to appear before the committee are the Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); Managing Director, Coscharis Motors; Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service; Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement; Managing Director, First Bank PLC; Federal Ministry of Finance and members of the general public.