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The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Mrs. Nkeiruka Oyejeocha, has insisted that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the agency responsible for the purchase of the 2 BMW armoured cars at N255 million, to cancel the contract and return the cars to Coscharis Motors, as there was no evidence of due process in the negotiation of the deal.
Meanwhile THISDAY checks at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, (NAIA), Abuja yesterday, showed that the 2 bullet-proof cars are still parked within the TRACON site, weeks after the committee charged NCAA to return the cars to Coscharis Motors.
Speaking in Abuja during the weekend, she said: “It is not about Onyejeocha, it is the decision of the Committee, which is the House that said the cars should be returned because our report said the contract should be cancelled.
“And if the report of the House says the contract be cancelled because due process was not followed, it does not need to take any further oversight for the management of NCAA to reveal to us that the cars are still lying at the airport. It takes integrity for them to cancel the contract as they know that this is a business gone awry.”
Since the committee ordered NCAA to do the needful weeks ago, the Chairman said there has been intense campaign of calumny against her especially within some section of the media. The truth of the matter, Onyejeocha added, is that the House has resolved to protect the sanctity of the National Assembly and to uphold the constitution of the Nigeria without fear or favour.
While admitting that the probe of the bulletproof car saga has been her toughest assignment at the House, she said: “On this issue, I don’t have anything personal against the former Minister, Ms Stella Oduah, because anybody can be minister at the whims and caprices of the president. In our unanimous report, we urged President Goodluck Jonathan to review her appointment.”
“When Oduah, came on board as Minister, a lot people never believed in what she wanted to do, I bought into her airport remodeling project. I gave her all the encouragement especially with the downward review of the outrageous charges from the foreign airlines”, she said.
On her denial of the $600 million, Chines and Debt Management Office (DMO) loan, she stated: “I never stated at any point that I was not aware of the $600 million loan. I never said so and there was no way, I could say this. What I said was that there was rumour that the designs of the remodeling projects had changed and that we need the first design that enabled the ministry and government to source for the loan, but of course, I didn’t see any design.
“We went to China and as member of the committee; you might be scheduled to travel outside. That does not translate to say that the committee was part of the deal. Even the ministry officials said the payment for the $100 million payment was being made to the contractor, without their knowledge.
“So it is very erroneous for people to now say that I travelled with the ministry with my family. There was no time that I traveled with the ministry with my family.
According to her, what the committee is demanding from the ministry are the changes or variations that have been allegedly being made in the original design, adding that, it is the Bill of Quantity (BoQ) that would have helped the committee.
She denied calling any aviation agency or proxy to demand for money, adding “Because, I will never call any agency or person to beg or ask them to give money. What do I need the money for? God has blessed me from grass to grace.
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