Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has petitioned the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, urging him to investigate the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, for economic crime over the N255 million armoured car scandal.
Falana said in a statement yesterday that based on the information available to him, it was clear that there was no appropriation for the acquisition of armoured cars in the Appropriation Act, 2013.
He argued that the Aviation Minister exceeded her approval limit as only the Federal Executive Council (FEC) could approve any transaction of N100 million and above.
The human rights lawyer further argued that the transaction did not comply with any of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act.
He said the prices of the two cars were inflated by the auto company in connivance with the minister and the management of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Falana, who contended that the loan of N643 million sourced from the First Bank Plc for the purchase of operational vehicles for the NCAA was not approved by the National Assembly, stated that the repayment of the loan in 36 months by the NCAA was tantamount to contract splitting in contravention of the financial guidelines of the federal government.
According to him, “That the Aviation Minister admitted her involvement in the extra budgetary purchase of the cars when she gave illegal approval before directing the NCAA officials to “do the needful”!
“The Media Assistant to the Aviation Minister, who claimed that the armoured cars were purchased for the “safety” of his boss has not denied the official statement.
“The Ministry of Aviation conspired with the auto company to evade the payment of appropriate duties on the armoured cars to the coffers of the Federal Governmen as they obtained duty waiver by false pretences from the Federal Ministry of Finance.
“The First Bank Plc entered into an illegal loan agreement with the NCAA to finance the illegal transaction from the internally generated revenue of the NCAA. Under the law loans can only be approved by the legislative arm of government fo fund capital projects and not for the purchase of cars.
“The aviation minister and the NCAA management conspired to divert the revenue generated at the airports which ought to have been paid to the Federation Account pursuant to section 162 of the Constitution.
“ It has been confirmed that the Aviation Minister equally caused the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to purchase four limousines and two jeeps for her at a cost of over N276 million.”
Source:Infonigeria
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