Nigeria’s embattled Minister of Aviation,
Princess Stella Oduah, could have easily
bought an Eclipse 500 private jet with
the whopping $1.6 million (about N255
million) used to buy her two BMW
bullet-proof cars, investigations have
revealed.
Although most private jets cost between
$3.5 million and $25 million, with the
larger ones like the Boeing Business Jet
gulping as much as $100 million, an
Eclipse 500 private jet goes for between
$1.5 million and $2 million, according
to Controller, a general aviation trade
publication in America.
With the two outrageously over priced
cars, Oduah could have also bought at
least five presidential limousines used by
United States President, Barack Obama,
at the cost of $300,000 each.
Each of the two bullet-proof BMW 760 Li
cars bought for Oduah by the Nigerian
Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, is also
more expensive than the car used by
British Prime Minister, David Cameron.
While Oduah’s cars go for $800,000
(about N127.5m) each, Cameron’s
armoured Jaguar XJ X351 car costs
£200,000 (about N52m).
Oduah could have also bought as many
as 1231 cars, the type used by
Uruguayan President, Jose Mujica, who
drives a 1987 Volkswagen Beetle worth
$1,300.
With a monthly salary of about $13,000,
Oduah would have been able to pay
Mujica’s salaries for 127 months or
approximately 10 years.
The world’s poorest president would
have certainly found the gift
preposterous and would have certainly
given out most of it to others as he does
with his monthly salary.
He has refused to move to the official
presidential residence, opting to stay in
the simple home of his senator wife on
the outskirts of the capital, Montevideo.
At an exchange rate of N155 to $1, the
N255 million Odua used to buy the two
cars would have conveniently
establsihed eight cottage clinics of N30
million each, or fund sinking of 50
boreholes in a country where only 17
percent of its over 160 million people
have access to pipe-borne water,
according to a UNDP report.
And with a minimum wage in Nigeria at
N18,000 or about $118, Oduah could
have paid the monthly salaries of 13559
people.
Besides, had the prices of the cars not
been inflated, Oduah would be able to
save about N195 million of taxpayers’
money.
Since the revelations last Tuesday of the
purchase of the expensive cars in
August, Nigerians have expressed
outrage and calls for Oduah’s sack have
become strident.
Human rights lawyer and Senior
Advocate of Nigeria, Barrister Femi
Falana, has petitioned the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for
an investigation to be opened. Falana
threatened to go to court if nothing is
done.
Many anti-corruption crusaders have
called for the arrest and prosecution of
Oduah.
Debo Adeniran, Chairman, Coalition
Against Corrupt Leaders, said the recent
plane crash and serious incidents could
be attributed to incompetence and
gargantuan corruption.
However, instead of addressing issues of
corruption, mismanagement and breach
of public trust, Oduah was said to have
declared war on Nicholas Edwards, the
alleged whistle-blower who allegedly
leaked information to the media.
The minister set up a panel on Friday,
headed by the Director of Consumer
Protection at the NCAA, Adamu
Abdullahi to probe the leaked
information.
Analysts have said the panel is an
exercise in futility since the information
leaked is true. They asked Oduah to do
the right thing and step down.
SaharaReporters, an online news
medium, had on 15 October published
documents that exposed how the cash-
strapped NCAA had in August this year
bought two bullet-proof BMW cars for
Stella Oduah at the whopping sum of
$1.6 million or N255 million.
Shortly after the article was published,
Yakubu Dati, spokesperson of the Federal
Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, who
often speaks for Stella Oduah, rejected
the allegations, claiming that the
minister was too rich to request or
accept car gifts from the NCAA.
By Wednesday, Oduah had instructed Joe
Obi, her media aide, to own up to the
purchase of the cars. Obi claimed the
cars were purchased because Oduah
faced imminent threats from some
people who did not like her so-called
transformation agenda in the aviation
sector.
The explanation triggered more
condemnation and outrage and calls for
her sack multiplied.
By last Friday, Fola Akinkuotu, NCAA
Director General, explained at a
hurriedly arranged press conference that
the cars were not bought for the minister
of aviation but rather were purchased to
move around foreign dignitaries when
they visit the agency.
Akinkuotu told journalists he would
show them where the cars were parked
at the end of the press conference. But
when the event ended, the NCAA boss
did not show proof of any car. Reports
have said the transaction was only on
paper as no car was actually delivered.
With more negative reports being
published on daily basis, especially on
the social media, reports have said that
Oduah has approached Reno Omokri,
Jonathan’s aide on social media, for help
and counter any negative publication.
It was also reported that the embattled
minister has commenced a last ditch
effort to save her job. It was learnt that
she had used the last few days seeking
private audience with President
Jonathan.
On Friday, Oduah was sighted at the
Presidential Villa in Abuja, the Nigerian
capital, as calls for her sack persisted.
NIGERIAN EYE

Another Yaba Left Candidate!

Lol @ private jet for $1.6 million >

Una no go khee person.

Sunny_bobo: Lol @ private jet for $1.6 million >

Una no go khee person.

You obviously never heard of the VLJ (Very Light Jet) Market .. And yes there are a couple of 7 seater VLjs like eclipse 500 or 550 or Citation Mustang. That fall in that range