CSNAC, the Civil Society Network Against Corruption, has sent a petition to President Goodluck Jonathan demanding the immediate commencement of an investigation into the scandal surrounding Aviation Minister Stella Oduah, as well as her immediate sack and prosecution in accordance with the laws of Nigeria.
“Failure to do this, our network will not hesitate to employ local and international means of bring this government to account,” it threatened in a statement on Saturday.
The statement recalled the reports which exposed the purchase of two impossibly-expensive luxury motor vehicles for the Minister by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), an agency under her supervision, in a presumed case of corruption, conflict of interest, invoice inflation and violation of the Appropriation Act 2013, at a whopping cost of N225million.
“Mr. Yakubu Datti, General Manager, Corporate Communications of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), during his interview with Premium Times, another online newspaper, vehemently denied the purchases, accusing Media of peddling politically motivated ‘rumours’.
“However, on Wednesday, October 16th, 2013, Mr. Obi, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, admitted to the Punch Newspaper that the two armoured BMW cars were procured to protect his boss from “imminent threats.” This was after Sahara Reporters published further documents relating to the procurement.
CSNAC noted that subsequently, Mr. Folayele Akinkuotu, the Director-General of NCAA, followed with a misleading press address in which he misinformed the public about a phantom appropriation for the vehicles in the 2013 budget.
“A quick check by this network revealed information contrary to the assertion or Mr. Akinkuotu. Mr. Akinkuotu, contrary to Mr. Obi's admittance on the purpose of the vehicles, disgracefully assumed the responsibilities of Foreign Affairs Ministry and State house in his incoherent defence of the fraud. We, at CSNAC, hereby join other concerned Nigerians in demanding the sack of these discredited public officers: Mr. Yakubu Datti, the General Manager, Corporate Communications of FAAN, who blatantly lied about the cars’ purchase until documents were made public; Mr. Akinkuotu, for further misinforming Nigerians on the appropriation Act and the purpose for which the vehicles are meant; And Ms. Oduah for abuse of office and violation of Appropriation Act.”
CSNAC declared that these characters have in no small measure exposed Nigeria to public ridicule before the world at a time when it is struggling to overcome the recent experiences of avoidable plane crashes.
CSNAC is a coalition of over 150 anti-corruption organizations whose primary aim is to constructively combat corruption vigorously and to ensure the effective monitoring of the various anti-graft agencies in their fight against corruption, and to enthrone transparency, accountability, probity, and total commitment in the fight to eradicate corruption in Nigeria.
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