Oduah to Reps: You approved my purchase of security vehicles

There was a stunning revelation on Thursday as the embattled Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, finally appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation investigating the purchase of two BMW 760Li Series bulletproof cars by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.
The suppliers of the controversial cars, bought at a highly inflated cost of N255 million, Coscharis Motors, denied ownership of a particular car with a chassis number completely different from the one it supplied to the NCAA.
During questioning, Coscharis Motors boss, Cosmas Maduka, insisted that what it supplied to NCAA were top notch vehicles, the best available anywhere in the world.
Maduka denied knowledge of any BMW bulletproof vehicle in the possession of NCAA, which bore chassis number DW68032.
He said the cars it delivered to the NCAA had chassis numbers DW68044 and DW68011.
Oduah, who read a prepared speech, apologized to the committee for not attending the hearing last week.
However, she told the committee pointedly that the purchase of two number security vehicles was provided for in the 2013 budget and duly approved by the lawmakers.
Defending the purchase, the Minister told the lawmakers that they approved it in the 2013 budget, saying: “The two numbers security/safety vehicles are provided for distinctively.”
Oduah added: “I draw attention to this fact because of the erroneous belief in some quarters that, because in the course of the NCAA defending its budget proposal for 2013, it had to return to the National Assembly a few times to explain their proposal, therefore, the purchase was never appropriated.
“This may not be totally correct as two numbers security/safety vehicles were provided for.”
She added that it is erroneous to say the cars were purchased by NCAA without following due process as the BPP does not have any guideline for lease financing, which the NCAA engaged in.
She denied directing the NCAA to purchase the cars for her use and also denied ever taking a ride in the vehicles.
The Minister also distanced herself from the claim of the NCAA Director-General, Fola Akinkuotu, who had at a press conference said the vehicles were procured for the minister and international guests’ use during conferences.
Oduah also insisted that the purchase was not out of budgetary approval by the parliament, adding that the 56 vehicles bought by the NCAA was in order as it was backed by the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, which was a planning tool for the budget that extended to 2015.
Speaking specifically on the BMW, the Minister also confirmed that they were not bought outrightly with NCAA’s fund but through a lease agreement.
Justifying the purchase further, Oduah insisted the NCAA is under obligation to take proper care of the security of the Very Important Personalities and other international guests from the aviation sector whenever they visit Nigeria.
While admitting granting approval to the request of the NCAA to purchase the vehicles as required in the memo of request sent to her office, she however said she put a caveat stating: “Approved. Kindly do the needful.”
The Acting Director-General of the NCAA when the transaction took place could not provide convincing answers to all the questions posed to him.
He was evasive on questions bothering on due process and whether the NCAA board approved the purchase prior to seeking ministerial approval.
Also, he could not provide answers to what informed the increase in the number of vehicles approved in the budget from 25 to the eventual 56, which the agency purchased through the loan taken from First Bank.
He however said the bullet-proof cars were part of the various cars in the pool and available for use by the agency.
The chairman of the investigative committee, Hon. Nkiru Onyejeocha, assured Oduah of fairness in its report.
Onyejeocha said all documentary evidences submitted would be taken into consideration.