As the minister of aviation
began a new spin today
that the two BMW
armored cars purchased
by the Nigerian Civil
Aviation Authority (NCAA)
for her use were done on
"hire-purchase", Sahara
Reporters has again
unearthed new details
about the $1.6 million
spent by the Nigerian Civil
Aviation Authority to
purchase the armored
BMW cars for Mrs Stella
Oduah.
A highly reliable source
has told SaharaReporters
that the shady deal for the
car was done entirely
between Coscharis Motors
Limited, one of Ms.
Oduah’s private firms
based in Abuja and First
Bank of Nigeria.
" The NCAA was not
even aware of the
deal until the
minister told them to
sign that they had
received two BMW
cars ," said our
source.
After inking the deal,
Coscharis Motors, sellers
of the highly inflated
automobiles, reportedly
gave the Aviation Minister
more than N112 million as
kickbacks. Our source
added that Cosmas
Maduka, who owns
Coscharis Motors, pocked
N60 million for each of
the two BMW cars.
An official at the NCAA
corroborated the
information that the
agency was largely kept
in the dark about the
transaction. “We were
never privy to the
transaction and had not
seen the cars even though
our head of transport was
made to sign the delivery
note,” said the source.
The source added that the
agency has still not seen
the cars even after the
scandal escalated.
Last week, an official of
the NCAA, Fola Akinkuotu,
spoke to the media and
defended the purchase of
the cars. Mr. Akinkuotu
said the cars were for the
ministry’s protocol pool
for use in transporting
foreign aviation dignitaries
when they visit Nigeria.
His explanation conflicted
with the original statement
by the minister’s
spokesman, Mr. Obi, who
had claimed that the cars
were for Stella Oduah's
safety.
A source at the NCAA
disclosed that Mr.
Akinkuotu felt tricked into
facing the media on the
scandal. “He had been
told he would only appear
beside the embattled
minister, who was
supposed to speak.
Instead, he was asked to
speak,” said the source.
Meanwhile, a source at
the Presidency said
President Goodluck
Jonathan is not bothered
at all about the fraud
perpetrated by Stella
Oduah, his Aviation
Minister. Ms. Oduah had
played significant roles in
raising money and
disbursing same to help
Jonathan win the 2011
presidential elections.
Several Nigerians and
diplomats have registered
their displeasure at
Jonathan’s continued
retention of Oduah on his
cabinet but he has
refused to take any action
and the woman is still in
office.
0 comments:
Post a Comment