Although his private jet was used to illegally ferry $9.3 million cash to South Africa, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ayo Oritsejafor, did no wrong, the presidency has said.
The Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Communication, Doyin Okupe, stated this on Sunday in Abuja while addressing journalists.
“Oritsejafor has no business in this matter,” he said. “It is true that he owns the aircraft but there are over 200 private Nigerians who have jets. Apart from those who use it frequently, some give it out to get some money and defray some of the costs. If you put your jet down, you pay money and parking charges every day.”
The presidential aide reiterated Mr. Oritsejafor’s statement that he had given the aircraft to a private company to manage.
“He gave the private jet to a company to manage. The company is handing it and these people gave out the plane that is available. What has this to do with Oritsejafor?
“If I have many cars at the airport and decide to give one to car hire services. And he decides to carry somebody having Indian hemp, will you link it up with the man who gave it out?” he said.
Mr. Okupe claimed that anyone criticising Mr. Oritsejafor’s role in the shady deal was not giving due respect to the office the latter holds as CAN president.
“Most Nigerians do not also respect the sensibilities of other people,” he said. “Oritsejafor is the President of CAN and head of all Christians in Nigeria who is representing at least 50 per cent of people in this country. When it comes to a man like that, people should be cautious and circumspect.”
The presidential aide also claimed those linking Mr. Oritsejafor, a well known ally of President Jonathan, to the scandal were being mischievous and only playing politics with the issue.
“The linking of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor is the most unfortunate thing,” he said. “To put the very respectable, responsible, honest and sincere President of CAN in this matter is the extreme of mischief. It just shows you what Nigerians do; they go to any extent to politicize everything and every day.
“What bothers me here is the manner with people want to bring down Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor on this matter. It is pure absurdity.”
Mr. Okupe also defended the federal government’s handling of the saga, saying all information about it could not be disclosed because of the security implications.
“The Nigerian government cannot share all information about the issues because it is a security matter. It is an issue which we cannot just bring to public domain,” he said.
“I am surprised that Nigerians want to discuss security issues openly and publicly when a war is still going on.
“These are very serious national security affairs and running a government is not the same thing as running a Shoprite, where everything is on the table and on display.”
Despite that moving cash of such magnitude) into a foreign country, including Nigeria, is illegal, and despite South Africa’s insistence on holding on to the money due to the illegality, Mr. Okupe insisted the transaction was not “shady.”
“There is nothing shady about the South African deal and the Office of the NSA (National Security Adviser) has done very well.
“Because at the appropriate time, they came in that, ‘yes, this money belongs to us and this was what it was meant for.’ That explanation itself was okay. There is no hanky panky on this matter,” he said.
After the $9.3 million cash was seized, another $5.7 million was also seized by South African authorities as it was to be wired by a South African firm to Nigeria.
The Nigerian government has said that like the first, second sum was also to purchase arms from South Africa; and that it was being returned because the private company it paid the money to was not duly registered in South Africa.
Despite criticism from Nigeria and abroad that further trailed the second transaction, Mr. Okupe said it was a normal deal.
“A company was mandated to do a national security assignment for the Federal Government of Nigeria and because of the extant laws in South Africa, that company was unable to deliver its contractual agreement with the Nigerian government.
“The company now wants a refund, which is normal”, Mr. Okupe said.
Since the scandals broke, the federal government and Mr. Oritsejafor have come under heavy criticisms for their roles in the shady deals.
Some of those who have criticised both parties include a former CAN President and Catholic Cardinal, Olubunmi Okogie, and the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC.
The APC, apart from asking the federal government to come clean on the deals, also asked the government to disclose the identity of the two Nigerians that were in the cash-stuffed private jet.
There have been reports that an ex-Niger Delta militant and ally of President Jonathan, Asari Dokubo, was one of the two Nigerians.
Mr. Okupe did not disclose the identity of both men.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/169367-seized-9-3-million-arms-money-nigerias-presidency-defends-oritsejafor.html

Issokah.... Make dem dey cover eaSHother.. No prob

In as much as I don't trust these polithievecians, I agree with the points raised here...always saw it from that angle.

When I saw the person talking about that botched arm deal I just lose intrest for the content, DOYIN OKUPE lying since aged 6

If you scratch my back, I go scratch your back na im dey for this country.

“If I have many cars at the airport and decide to give one to car hire services. And he decides to carry somebody having Indian hemp, will you link it up with the man who gave it out?” he said.

In an attempt to defend the indefensible this yeye spokesman finally confirmed the widely held belief that the transaction was illegal by comparing the illegal money with Indian hemp!

What a useless government!

Sounds like a desperado

Nigeria Aviation Watch

Friday, June 14, 2013

New civil aviation policy bars private jets from commercial operations

Air charter operators in Nigeria will likely begin to witness a business boom, as aviation authorities foreclose private jet owners from hiring out their aircraft


Business for the air charter operators had been strangulated over the past one year, on the back of a sudden and significant increase in the number of ‘private jets’, a term which refers to privately owned non-commercial aircraft.

The new Nigerian Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) released in April this year, has foreclosed private jet owners from engaging in charter business.



Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, had said that the policy on jets and charter operation was last reviewed about 12 years ago, and that the new one is aimed at sanitising the system and aligning it with global standards.

Part of the new policy says “for private aircraft owned or leased by individuals, only the family members of the owner / lessee of the aircraft will be permitted on board as passengers. For private aircraft owned or leased by companies or corporate entities, only the employees and members of the boards of directors of the companies will be permitted on board as passengers.”

The new policy further states that “ all operators will declare the identities of all passengers on non- revenue charter flights in the appropriate General Declaration Forms, prior to obtaining ATC (Air Traffic Control) clearance.”

When the President of Nigeria and the chief law enforcement officer not only refused to defend and uphold the laws of of the same Nigeria but also boldly and openly violates and enable people to break the laws of Nigeria and even defend the law breakers, you know this country is fcukedddd up beyond repairs ...

Even banana republics are laughing at this ridiculous and absurd country...

Dont mind APC propanganda

Yugosng:
In as much as I don't trust these polithievecians, I agree with the points raised here...always saw it from that angle.

Don't be fooled. Whatever happened to all the jets we have in the presidential fleet (about 10!!) that they had to hire Oritsejafor's They knew Nigerians have seen through the veil of lies they attempted to use to hoodwink them initially hence the mum kept by Okupe and Abati over the incident all the while.

Oritsejafor is a thief and a gunrunner, with collaborators at the topmost echelon of the government, case closed!

These and more are the reasons why these people would rather die than have someone in the mould of Buhari at the helm of affairs in this country. They know they would all wind up in jail. Their crimes against the people of Nigeria are just too vast and unpardonable!!

[quote author=arresa post=27086385]


When the President of Nigeria and the chief law enforcement officer not only refused to defend and uphold the laws of of the same Nigeria but also boldly and openly violates and enable people to break the laws of Nigeria and even defend the law breakers, you know this country is fcukedddd up beyond repairs ...



New civil aviation policy bars private jets from commercial operations.

AIR CHATTER OPERATORS in Nigeria will likely begin to witness a business boom, as aviation authorities foreclose private jet owners from hiring out their aircraft.

The quote above exonerates Pastor Ayo.
Pastor Ayo did not hire out his private jet directly to the arm dealers this would have contravened the law above. what Pastor Ayo did was lease his aircraft to an Air chatter operator Green Coast Ltd which is legal cause the Air Chatter Operators would pay relevant tax.

omenka:
Don't be fooled. Whatever happened to all the jets we have in the presidential fleet (about 10!!) that they had to hire Oritsejafor's They knew Nigerians have seen through the veil of lies they attempted to use to hoodwink them initially hence the mum kept by Okupe and Abati over the incident all the while.

Oritsejafor is a thief and a gunrunner, with collaborators at the topmost echelon of the government, case closed!

These and more are the reasons why these people would rather die than have someone in the mould of Buhari at the helm of affairs in this country. They know they would all wind up in jail. Their crimes against the people of Nigeria are just too vast and unpardonable!!

You are from a lineage of cankerworms with all the evidence staring you in the face you still go about insulting, how can you be talking about presidential jets in a covert operation? This is supposed to be classified and that's why they have kept mum all this while from the onset of this Saga the SA authorities did not mention the name of. Oritsejafor as an accomplice in this matter the NSA who SA authorities confirmed issued the end certificate for this deal is not even been mentioned or talked about.

I seeee.

Superstory

Dmacaw:


The quote above exonerates Pastor Ayo.

Pastor Ayo did not hire out his private jet directly to the arm dealers this would have contravened the law above. what Pastor Ayo did was lease his aircraft to an Air chatter operator Green Coast Ltd which is legal cause the Air Chatter Operators would pay relevant tax.

Learn how to read and comprehend...

New civil aviation policy bars private jets from commercial operations

^^^^^The law stipulates..

some give it out to get some money and defray some of the costs

^^^^^^ The president's ignorant, corrupt, lawbreaking, dumb and idiotic rubbish.