The House of Representatives committee on Aviation, will today conclude hearing on the purchase of two armoured cars for the aviation minister, Stella Oduah, for N255 million.

The hearing was adjourned from yesterday, Wednesday, to allow the aviation minister attend. The minister was expected at the Wednesday hearing but was absent because she was away in Israel for a bilateral air service agreement signing.

The highlight of today’s hearing would be the minister’s appearance. Her absence at the hearing yesterday angered many lawmakers who said it would be her last opportunity to be heard.

Live Updates Here: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/147584-stella-oduah-armoured-car-scandal-house-committee-hearing-2-live-update.html

“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

I am waiting for their final say on the issue.

STEALER oduah must go

Is anyone seeing what am seeing?Everyone was asked to relax and smile,this statement is however questionable.If at the end of the day,the embattled Minister is left off the hook,u people should question the committee and the house.

lakhadimar: STEALER oduah must go

Plz go help ur ofe...Oil brotherz nd get her out...........Mtcheeew

this is the full proceedings
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.
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.

"Approved. Do the needful."
Buffoons screaming Oduah must go will leak their wounds today.

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.

Getting more interesting. The former Ag. DG has been thrown under the bus.

theshadyexpress: 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.

I have said it and will continue to say that Nigeria is filled to the brink with fools. Where did Nigerian constitution forbid anybody from the use of armored car as insinuated by Jerry Manwe of Taraba state?

Script acting.

Since our law makers are there waiting for Oduah while she dances Skelewu for GEJ to change his mind, I will advice our law makers to talk about 2pacs death in 1996 since they ve nothing important to do.

The fact is that somebody will go down for this.

Interesting! Following...

None of those corrupt folks has any moral ground 2 sit on her case. If they r in her shoes they'll do the same.
i wish there is a competent court to handle such cases and sentence corrupt officials to prison.
I mean a court with an incorruptible judge. I guess that's hardly the case with our justice system now.
They are all thieves and 1 day they will answer for their actions either through revolution or God.
God's intervention seem the only option for 9ja.

R

I DEY FOLLOW AM BOMBER TO BOMBER

I am not fooled by Oduah's answer. How can you approve an expense without first asking necessary questions, like if the expense is covered in the budget? So what is the basis of seeking the Minister's approval if all she does is just to rubber stamp every proposal?

Commitee again!smh

the game is about to start

Lets all learn the lesson. Be fast to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. Always listen to both sides.

DerideGull:


I have said it and will continue to say that Nigeria is filled to the brink with fools. Where did Nigerian constitution forbid anybody from the use of armored car as insinuated by Jerry Manwe of Taraba state?

who told who there are law makers with brains in this country

OAM4J: I am not fooled by Oduah's answer. How can you approve an expense without first asking necessary questions, like if the expense is covered in the budget? So what is the basis of seeking the Minister's approval if all she does is just to rubber stamp every proposal?

and u sat with her in her office that day and knew she didn't ask questions,eh?? I hope u're not a nitwit

Following......

OluwaDrey: and u sat with her in her office that day and knew she didn't ask questions,eh?? I hope u're not a nitwit

Go back and read the whole report. Obviously you didn't.

Jymsyno2004@yahoo.co.uk:
Lets all learn the lesson. Be fast to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. Always listen to both sides.

So her response of "do the needful" is a good answer to you?

...So what is the basis of seeking the Minister's approval if all she does is just to rubber stamp every proposal?...

Good question from Nairalander

OAM4J: I am not fooled by Oduah's answer. How can you approve an expense without first asking necessary questions, like if the expense is covered in the budget? So what is the basis of seeking the Minister's approval if all she does is just to rubber stamp every proposal?

Some have already been fooled, we we told clearly she does not have the powers to approve such huge sums of money, rather it is the duty of FEC, yet the minister didn't follow the process and jump to approve without asking a single question, this is purely pitiful!