N225m armoured cars: Reps reject calls for Oduah’s sack
…Deny seeking minister’s arrest
FROM IHEANACHO NWOSU, Abuja
The House of Representatives has rejected the clamour by some Nigerians that the Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, be relieved of her position by President Goodluck Jonathan over the purchase of two BMW bulletproof cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) valued at N225million.
It also dispelled the rumour that it was planning to order for the arrest of the embattled minister.
House Committee Chairman on Aviation, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, disclosed the stand of the Lower Chamber in an interview with newsmen.
Onyejeocha’s committee last week, commenced a public hearing on the purchase of the armoured vehicles.
Oduah, NCAA officials and Chairman of Coscharis Motors, Mr. Cosmos Maduka, whose company sold the bulletproof cars, are expected to appear before the committee tomorrow.
At last week’s hearing, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) accused NCAA of breaking procurement laws in the purchase of the vehicles. The agency was also alleged to have violated the appropriation law by going outside what was approved for it in the 2013 budget.
In her reaction to calls by some people that Oduah should either resign or be kicked out by President Jonathan, Onyejeocha dismissed the calls as uncalled for. She argued that until the ongoing investigation is completed, Oduah cannot be accused of any wrongdoing.
The committee chairman said: “When you haven’t given her fair hearing, it is wrong. She is entitled to fair hearing and until we finish our investigation, until you indict somebody, you don’t call for her resignation or that she should be sacked.
“For me, you allow one to have a fair hearing and you get to a bridge before you cross it. One of the questions that we asked was were the cars bought? Were they appropriated for? Under any Nigerian law, could you have done this? When we conclude our investigation and submit the report, we’ll know if she is the one to resign or it is another person.”
On the speculation that her committee was planning to issue arrest warrant on the minister if she fails to appear before the probe panel, Onyejeocha dismissed such claims. She stated that her committee had no doubt in its mind that the minister would honour the invitation to the public hearing.
The lawmaker defended Oduah’s absence from last Thursday’s hearing, saying that she was on another assignment.
She said: “I don’t want to talk about that because she didn’t abscond. Her programme was on, so to say, before we started our investigation. I don’t see her not appearing on Wednesday.
The House of Representatives has rejected the clamour by some Nigerians that the Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, be relieved of her position by President Goodluck Jonathan over the purchase of two BMW bulletproof cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) valued at N225million.
It also dispelled the rumour that it was planning to order for the arrest of the embattled minister.
House Committee Chairman on Aviation, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, disclosed the stand of the Lower Chamber in an interview with newsmen.
Onyejeocha’s committee last week, commenced a public hearing on the purchase of the armoured vehicles.
Oduah, NCAA officials and Chairman of Coscharis Motors, Mr. Cosmos Maduka, whose company sold the bulletproof cars, are expected to appear before the committee tomorrow.
At last week’s hearing, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) accused NCAA of breaking procurement laws in the purchase of the vehicles. The agency was also alleged to have violated the appropriation law by going outside what was approved for it in the 2013 budget.
In her reaction to calls by some people that Oduah should either resign or be kicked out by President Jonathan, Onyejeocha dismissed the calls as uncalled for. She argued that until the ongoing investigation is completed, Oduah cannot be accused of any wrongdoing.
The committee chairman said: “When you haven’t given her fair hearing, it is wrong. She is entitled to fair hearing and until we finish our investigation, until you indict somebody, you don’t call for her resignation or that she should be sacked.
“For me, you allow one to have a fair hearing and you get to a bridge before you cross it. One of the questions that we asked was were the cars bought? Were they appropriated for? Under any Nigerian law, could you have done this? When we conclude our investigation and submit the report, we’ll know if she is the one to resign or it is another person.”
On the speculation that her committee was planning to issue arrest warrant on the minister if she fails to appear before the probe panel, Onyejeocha dismissed such claims. She stated that her committee had no doubt in its mind that the minister would honour the invitation to the public hearing.
The lawmaker defended Oduah’s absence from last Thursday’s hearing, saying that she was on another assignment.
She said: “I don’t want to talk about that because she didn’t abscond. Her programme was on, so to say, before we started our investigation. I don’t see her not appearing on Wednesday.
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