bulletproof car scandal in the aviation ministry has indicted the
Minister, Ms. Stella Oduah.
It was gathered in Abuja on Sunday that the report of the
presidential committee tallied with some findings of the House of
Representatives Committee on Aviation on the scandal.
In October, there were reports that with the approval of the minister,
the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority purchased two bulletproof BMW
cars at an allegedly inflated rate of N255m.
The development sparked a countrywide controversy with many
Nigerians and groups calling for her sacking.
The House subsequently mandated its Committee on Aviation to probe
the allegation against the minister.
On December 19, 2013, the House endorsed the report of its
committee and agreed that the minister breached the 2013 Appropriation
Act.
It therefore asked Jonathan to review Oduah's appointment for
approving expenditure of over N643m for the NCAA to procure 54
vehicles last year.
The spokesperson for the House, Mr. Zackary Mohammed, had explained
that the lawmakers wanted the minister sacked.
He said, "The word 'review' here means a change in status. It is a
mild way of saying that Mr. President should sack the minister."
A major recommendation of the Aviation committee, which was adopted,
reads, "The House urges the President to review the continued
engagement of the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, for having
contravened the Appropriation Act, 2013 and the approved, revised
thresholds by exceeding the Ministry of Aviation's approval limit of
N100m by the purchase of 54 vehicles valued at N643m."
Although Jonathan confirmed the receipt of the report of the
presidential committee chaired by a former Head of Service of the
Federation, Alhaji Sali Bello, he had yet to make a pronouncement on
it.
Other members of the presidential panel included the National Security
Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki and Vice-Marshal Dick Iruenabhere.
It was learnt on Sunday that the panel, like that of the House,
also discovered that the minister's approval for the cars exceeded the
N100m limit.
A top government source, who disclosed this toThe Metro on Sunday,
said although the committee indicted Oduah , it did not say whether
she should be sacked or not.
But sources told The Metro that there was every likelihood of the
President using the cabinet shake -up that would follow the
presentation of his ministerial list to the National Assembly to
relieve himself of the moral burden of Oduah's continued presence in
his government.
One of the sources said Jonathan did not take any action on the
matter when the issue was raging last year because it was not in his
character to be seen as being stampeded into taking any decision.
He said, "Those who know oga knows that he is not the kind of person
that can be stampeded into taking a decision. That was why he remained
calm in the face of the public calls for the minister's sacking last
year.
"As it is now, since he is planning a cabinet shake-up, he may use the
opportunity to ease the woman out. After all, during shake-up like the
one being planned, he owes no one any explanation. He has the power to
hire and fire."
Another official was more categorical in his claim that Oduah might
not escape the imminent shake-up.
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