Pics: Stella Oduah faces House

Pics: Stella Oduah faces House
Committee hearing over car scandal
Embattled Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah today
faced House Committee Hearing over the BMW
car scandal. See more photos and read a
transcript of what was said at the hearing after the
cut...
Transcript from Premium Times
11:40
The minister has finally arrived at the venue of the
hearing, 100 minutes after the hearing was
scheduled to kick off. The lawmakers now setting
up to start the hearing.
11:56
Stella Oduah, the aviation minister has just taken
her seat before the committee. The hearing
begins.
12:00
Hearing committee chairperson, Nkiruka
Onyejeocha, gives her opening speech, explaining
the delay in starting the hearing and that the
committee would be just and fair.
Delay was because venue used for hearing
on Wednesday had been taken over for a
another hearing on Land racketeering.
“This committee is out to get to the bottom of
the matter. But committee is not on ‘witch-
hunting’”
12:06
Onyejeocha quips on the tense mood here. “We
are not mourning, there is no aeroplane crash; I
want to see everyone smiling,” she says. “Feel
free and relax.”
The minister is about to be called upon to testify.
She takes oath to say “nothing but the truth, the
whole truth.”
12:10
Ms. Oduah starts by apologizing for inability to
attend previous hearings. She said said her
absence was not out of disrespect and thanks the
committee for rescheduling her appearance.
12:17
Ms. Oduah says opportunity to appear will allow
her give her side of the story. “For the past week,
I have been bashed in the media, many have also
risen to my defence.”
She said her spokesperson’s admission of the
alleged purchase, while right on concerns for her
safety, was “inaccurate”.
She goes ahead to say online publications that she
compelled NCAA to purchase cars for her were
“false and malicious” allegations. “False in its
entirety!”
Says online allegations not substantiated but
based on “erroneous” comment of her aide.
12:19
“It is not true, cannot be true that NCAA
bought bullet proof vehicles for honourable
minister of aviation. My understanding is that
what NCAA has done is to plan for its vehicle
needs for the next three years under the
Medium Term Expenditure Framework,” —
Stella Oduah
12:34
Oduah: NCAA has real needs for new operational
vehicles. Insists armoured cars not meant for her
but foreign dignitaries.
“NCAA acted within the ambit of law”.
“Nothing in the stated documents mentioned
my name. I did not request for any vehicles.
All I did was to approve the purchase,
subject to the agency doing the needful
(following the law). NCAA followed due
process as required by law.”
“The Federal ministry of aviation under my
watch has always ensured we act in a
prudent manner and under the ambit of the
law”-Stella Oduah
12:40
The aviation minister still rendering her opening
remarks.
The “First Bank facility to NCAA to the tune of
N643 million mere understanding not an obligation”
she daid.
“Nigeria’s airspace is now rate among the safest
in the world”. She adds that allegation about car
purchase is meant to discredit her team and give
the impression her effort at reforms is not
succeeding.
NCAA has not spent any money not appropriated
by the National Assembly. The agency has even
saved the nation a cost and further
embarrassment that may occur in future.
12:51
The minister’s initial presentation is over. She is
now receiving questions from the lawmakers.
13:08
Minister insists NCAA did not exceed its limit or
violate the law.
She is reminded by by Jerry Manwe (Taraba
state) that the National Assembly rejected
armoured cars in the budget which she is
defending, the minister buckles: “NCAA will answer
that,” she says.
Minister is pressed by Zakari Mohammed(Kwara
state) why she exceeded her approval limit, she
said her comment on the letter to NCAA was not
final but advisory to NCAA to follow the law.
On the said letter, the minister wrote “Approved.
Do the needful”.
Brief game on semantics here. Minister says “Do
the needful” could mean anything”. But the
lawmakers are not having that. NCAA is called to
explain the “needful” it did. And the NCAA director
general shirks to the former acting DG who was in
charge then.
13:25
Blame briefly leaves the minister to officials of
NCAA over “do the needful” directive. For a
moment, lawmakers appear to agree with the
minister the all-encompassing comment
exonerates her. The former acting DG of NCAA is
tackled for even initiating a memo to Odua for a
purchase out of budget, and beyond approved
limit.
13:47
Jerry Manwe (Member) to minister: If the
armoured cars were not for you as you claimed,
who is using them now?
Former acting DG answers for minister: Any one
can use any car in the pool
Manwe: Do you mean a cleaner can use those
kind of cars?
Former DG: Anybody can use; but those kind of
cars are for VIP movement, including foreign
dignitaries, including the minister, and even you
honourable member!
Manwe; Thank you. But the law of the country
does not allow me to use those cars.
14:14
Attention has left the minister for more than half
an hour. Lawmakers again tackle Coscharis over
the disparity in chassis numbers of the cars.
A frustrated Chief Executive of Coscharis, Cosmas
Maduka,makes it clear his company has nothing
to hide as the committee would think. “We are not
doing monkey business here,” he asserted. Mr
Maduka was asked to withdraw the comment and
he promptly complied.
14:22
Reps wrapping the hearing. Chairperson
Onyejeocha said despite the testimonies from
those invited since last week, the committee has
received sufficient documents that will inform its
report. “We have given everyone fair hearing,” she
said.
“We assure everyone and all Nigerians we will do
justice”.
14:25
Hearing Ends. Thanks for following our updates.
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