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ABUJA- MINISTER of Aviation ,Princess Stella Oduah, Thursday told members of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation that the alleged purchase of N255million BMW armoured cars were not bought for her personal use.
Oduah who astonished stakeholders with this disclosure at the investigative hearing on the issue in her 12 page presentation said:
“As you all are aware, what necessitated this public hearing were the events that followed a false and malicious online publication that I had compelled the NCAA to purchase for me two BMW bullet proof cars at the cost of $1.6million. ”
“Let me state emphatically that from the onset that the allegation concerning the purchase of the two bullet proof cars for me by the NCAA is false in its entirety. ”
After reading her presentation, Rep Zakari Lafia Mohammed asked her whether it is a loan or lease that her agency obtained from FBN, she said it is the same. She said the money NCAA would pay would still be below the N240million at the end of the year.
On whether she acted within the ambit of the law in giving approval beyond N100 million , she said she approved the money and asked the NCAA to do the needful.
What is the needful?
The Committee and the minister disagreed on what “to do the needful” meant.
She had claimed that in her approval she said kindly do the needful.
Rep Mohammed took on her that saying the needful means go ahead to implement.
Responding, Oduah said”no you are wrong on that the needful does not mean full approval. ”
The NCAA DG Folu Akinkuotu was asked whether he did the needful, he said he was not in-charge at NCAA when the order was given for the purchase.
The permanent secretary of the Ministry, George Ossi was tackled for misleading the minister by not appropriately advising her.
The committee said the permanent secretary ought to have asked the NCAA to do the right thing.
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