Members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday ordered an investigation into the N255m bulletproof cars purchased for the Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

In a resolution in Abuja, the lawmakers, who just reconvened after the Sallah break, gave their Committee on Aviation one week to conduct the probe.

The lawmakers were angry as they debated the controversial car purchase, which came under matters of urgent public importance.

The Minority Whip, Sampson Osagie, an All Progressives Congress member from Edo State, sponsored the motion.

Leading the debate at the session presided over by the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, Osagie observed that the action of the minister and the NCAA had raised doubts over the “sincerity of the Federal Government to fight corruption.”

He noted that the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission spelt out the entitlements of all public officers, which Oduah was already enjoying as a minister.

Osagie added that the investigation should address the following:

• Whether it is correct that the purchase (of the cars) was made or not ;

• Whether the purchase was authorised by any appropriation law or not;

• Whether the NCAA has been complying with Fiscal Responsibility Act on Internally-Generated Revenue or not;

• Whether the minister is entitled to such vehicles under any law in Nigeria or not;

• Whether (if the answer to question two above is in the negative), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and all anti- graft agencies are not bound to investigate and prosecute all those involved or not.

• Whether (if question two above is correct), the President can continue to retain the services of the minister and all those involved in the matter or not.

Osagie told the House that the rest of the world would laugh at Nigeria as a country whose universities had been shut for months owing to funding issues, yet its minister could afford the luxury of two BMW bulletproof cars worth N255m.

Supporting Osagie’s motion, a Peoples Democratic Party member from Benue State, Hassan Saleh, recalled that the NCAA had already admitted purchasing the cars.

He said, “There is no doubt that the cars were bought. The Director-General of the NCAA confirmed it.

“The question now is whether the cars are the priority of this country and the NCAA or not.

“This is the same agency that is unable to pay some of its workers basic allowances.”

Also, Emma Jime, another PDP lawmaker from Benue State, said he tried to establish a connection between the purchase of “the armoured cars” and the duties of the Ministry of Aviation but could not.

“The investigation is necessary; it is timely. We cannot watch our resources misused at the detriment of national security,” an angry Jime advised.

A member of the Committee on Aviation, Mr. Matthew Omegara, informed the House that the committee sighted the proposal to buy the cars in the 2013 budget of the NCAA, but rejected it.

He expressed shock that the agency went ahead to indulge in extra-budgetary expenditure by spending money that was not approved by the National Assembly.

Omegara said, “I am a member of the committee on Aviation.

“I can confirm that we deleted this issue of cars from the budget of the NCAA.

“It was clearly deleted from the agency’s budget .”

However, as more members fumed over the development, Tambuwal intervened to douse tension.

He called for caution, advising his colleagues not to rush into conclusions until the investigation had been conducted.

The speaker said, “This is an investigation; we have to be careful to avoid being judgmental.

“Let the committee go ahead and conduct the investigation.”

The House also passed another resolution seeking to investigate why Qatar Air was denied the right to land in Kano and Abuja airports.

The sponsor of the motion, Mr. Ali Madaki, had alleged that the Ministry of Aviation gave the airline the option of landing in Enugu and not Kano or Abuja.

He claimed that this was a deliberate move to stifle commercial activities in the northern states.

Both matters were referred to the House Committee on Aviation.

In the Senate, the Chairman of its Committee on Aviation, Hope Uzodinma, explained that the embattled Oduah and heads of agencies under her supervision, did not appear before the Senate on Tuesday because his committee had yet to invite her.

Uzodinma told journalists after Tuesday’s plenary that the Senate had just approved the votes and proceedings of its sitting on October 8, where members unanimously agreed to summon Oduah over the crisis in the aviation industry.

He said, “With the approval of the votes and proceedings of the last Senate session today (Tuesday), containing the summoning of the minister, our committee will now meet within this week to fix the exact date, to invite the minister and other relevant aviation chiefs for questioning on the troubled sector.”

On why the Senate was allegedly foot-dragging on the bulletproof cars scandal, the senator said, “As the chairman of the Senate committee on aviation, I have read a lot on the issue in the media and I believe other members of the committee are also up to date on it.

“However, we cannot jump into the fray like that based on media information alone without properly checking our records for facts and figures on whether the alleged vehicles bought were appropriated for, or not by the agencies that purchased them.”

I think this men are smoking Jamaica Weed.

I was @ Ozumba road today in VI.yes Fashola,Budject implemented with flooded drainage on that road.Anytime it rains,we see your 86 percent budject implementation.Deep in me,I know you are a good Leader,but propaganda won't help deliver dividends of democracy.

Oga Fashola,you said exactly what is in my Mind.Fashola is not saying the Minister should be sack,there are people in charge whose job is to ensure that crash don't happen.Engineers and Aiport officials who cut corners.This are the main culprit and should be sacked and jailed.

@ Oga Fashola,those responsible for fixing Lagos Roads,drainages and other public infrastractures in Lagos should also be punished.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has alleged that its leaders across the country are being watched by security agencies. It said the union leaders’ lives were under threat.

ASUU said security forces were secretly investigating its leaders’ sources of finance.

Chairman of the University of Ibadan chapter of the union, Dr. Olusegun Ajiboye, in a release titled “ASUU strike: Union leaders go underground,” said he had received calls warning him about his role in the strike. He however said the union would not bow to pressure from security agencies over its action.

Members of ASUU have been on strike since July 1 thus paralyzing academics in public universities for over three months now.

“The position of ASUU is that Nigeria is a democratic country and citizens are guaranteed freedom of association. Members of the union are apprehensive for the lives of their leaders. We urge the government to leave our leaders alone. Our leaders are our servants, we are their principals, they report to us on all matters. Rather than chasing shadow, government is once again called upon to implement the 2009 agreement with ASUU. Only this will bring members to their classrooms,” he said.

According to him, the recent security threat has forced many ASUU leaders to go underground, alleging that many of their phone numbers have been bugged.

“Apart from the issue of finance, ASUU leaders are now being trailed all over the place. Majority of our union leaders have now gone underground while many have their telephone lines bugged. Some are now living in fear for their lives,” Ajiboye said.

Bring in Justice Salami (APC Chieftain).

Excellent resume.I still see his Constituncy under developed.nothing to show he is the No.3 Man in Nigeria.

Lai Lai.Those Bastards.Lai lai.

Its Unnecessary to hurled insult @ others who expressed their Opinion.I just rode through Keffi and peep into the BRT park.Please ride around Ikoyi and VI anytime it rains.We are not blinded by propaganda.I still repeat that Cable transport is another White Elephant project.We lack so many basic Amenities in Lagos.Until some of this issues are adressed,they will soon be proposing Helicopter and Yatch transport service.We stay in Lagos and for the Governor to reeled out those statistics on Water transport is disturbing.

White Elephant Project.BRT is a disaster.the same Fashola who could not manage the BRT transport scheme is dreaming of Cable transport,this must be a joke.

Tinubu should also suggest treatment for the injured in USA.

He should have also overhaul Lagos State Medical Services since who has the skills to resolve Aviation issues.

@ Abu12,start thinking with your Kunu Head on how to rear more Cattle and increase your Groundnut and Cotton production.Your free meal ticket is nob longer feasible.

Where are the Billions collected from Loyal stooges and assss Lickers for the Wellcome Party?

APC is dead on arrival.Yeye progressive

Fresh Air till 2029

How were they selected?

NURUDEEN MUSTAFA.That sounds as the name of a terrorst field Commander.

Progressive my foot.

This thread will never make the front page.Latent in Punch and The Nation Newspaper.

Pensioners,please go back to your village(Their Slogan).

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- South Korea on Tuesday rejected Boeing Co.'s bid to supply 60 fighter jets in the country's largest-ever weapons purchase even though it was the sole remaining bidder, and said it would reopen the tender.

Boeing had offered its F-15 Silent Eagle, but South Korean critics have said the warplane lacks state-of-the-art stealth capabilities and cannot effectively cope with North Korea's increasing nuclear threats.

Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said officials decided at a meeting Tuesday to delay naming a winning bidder for the 8.3 trillion won ($7.7 billion) purchase, and would restart the bidding process at an early date.

He said South Korea must have better air power in line with an international trend to develop "fifth generation" fighters, and said the rejection of Boeing's bid was made in consideration of North Korea's nuclear weapons program and other factors. Ministry officials said he was referring to a warplane with cutting-edge radar-evading stealth functions which Boeing's plane does not have.

Boeing said in a statement that it was "deeply disappointed" by Tuesday's decision, adding it "rigorously" followed the South Korean arms procurement agency's instructions throughout the entire process.

Lockheed Martin's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and EADS' Eurofighter Typhoon earlier competed in the bidding process but were eliminated for exceeding Seoul's budget cap.

The F-35 jet, which has been plagued by schedule delays and cost overruns, is widely regarded as a much more advanced and capable aircraft than its predecessors.

Japan announced in 2011 that it would buy 42 F-35 jets in a deal expected to cost more than $5 billion. Japan hopes to receive its first F-35s in 2016, at a cost of about $120 million per plane. But last year it threatened to cancel the multibillion-dollar deal if prices continue to rise or delays threaten the delivery date.

South Korea has traditionally favored importing fighter jets and other weapons from the U.S., which stations 28,500 troops in the country as deterrence against potential aggression from North Korea.

This spring, tensions on the Korean peninsula rose sharply, with Pyongyang threatening nuclear wars to protest toughened U.N. sanctions after its third nuclear test in February. The U.S. took the unusual step of sending its most powerful warplanes — B-2 stealth bombers, F-22 stealth fighters and B-52 bombers — to drills with South Korea in a show of force. B-2 and B-52 bombers are capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

In recent days, South Korean media, retired generals and weapons experts had pressed the government not to pick the F-15 Silent Eagle, arguing better stealth capabilities were needed.

"Only with stealth capabilities can (warplanes) covertly infiltrate North Korea and get rid of its nuclear threats," a group of 15 former air force chiefs of staff said in a recent letter addressed to President Park Geun-hye.

The rivals Koreas have hundreds of thousands of combat-ready troops along a heavily armed border as the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. North Korea's air force is relatively old and ill-prepared, but has a large number of aircraft that could be a factor if a conflict were to break out.
http://news.yahoo.com/skorea-rejects-boeing-says-f-101949722.html

Payless is Eko-Ile.olodo

Good job Oga Fash and co. Emperor Tinubu is away(for cosmetic Surgery) and Boys need to gather enough crumbs before Oga Tinubu return .
Oga Fash and Co,please leave some money for APC 2015 campaign.

Haters may die of high blood pressure.While GEJ meets with world Leaders publicly beamed across notable Media in the world,Tinubu and Buhari(Mentor to Payless,Gbawe,Eko-Ile,Iyangbali and cohorts) hide in a small conference Hall with unknown white ass Men in a small dungeon around Manchester.

Fresh Air 2019.

President Goodluck Jonathan has berated his opponents, particularly those who handled the past privitisation exercise, saying they are now “opening their mouth wide” to attack his administration.

Jonathan, who said this while addressing Nigerian professionals in New York, United States, on Monday said the privatisation of public utilities by his administration was being done in a transparent manner.

He also said the problem of the Boko Haram insurgency was being exploited to blackmail his administration.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria report, the President said that so far $3bn had been realised without any form of corruption compared to the privatisation that took place in the past.

Jonathan’s critics that played key role in the past privatisation included former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and an ex-minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

Berating his critics, the President said, “In the country’s past privatisation, we know what happened there and yet those who sat over the exercise are the same people who are opening their mouths wide to attack this administration.”

But speaking through his Media Adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai said that the Jonathan administration did not understand transparency.

He challenged the President to be specific in his allegations.

The former minister said, “President Jonathan is dealing in innuendo as is the tradition of his government. He should make specific allegations against specific persons since he claims to know what went on in the previous privatisation regime.

“We are all witnesses to how rules have been bent in the ongoing power privatisation in favour of investors with close ties to government. This government does not understand transparency, and is in no position to practise it.”

Reacting to the allegation of shoddy performance as the chairman of the National Council of Privatisation, Atiku said he was proud of his achievements.

Atiku who spoke through his Media Adviser, Malam Garba Shehu, expressed confidence that his tenure was not in President Jonathan’s frame of reference.

Shehu said, “(He) acquitted himself well when he held sway at the NCP.

“We are very proud of Turaki’s legacies at the NCP and that his vindication is there for all to see in the reports of the separate investigations by both the Senate and the House. We have our records. Let us see his own.”

On security, Jonathan said that in the past, the major security challenge facing the nation was armed robbery. He said that terrorism had emerged as the major challenge in the country now.

Jonathan, however, stressed that the challenge of terrorism was being seriously tackled by the government.

He stated, “I appreciate that we have a serious security challenge with Boko Haram insurgency. This is the area where the government is being blackmailed, but by the grace of God this will soon be a thing of the past.

“Before now it was robbery, until terrorism took us by surprise. Soon it will be a thing of the past.”

On Nigerians in Diaspora, the president acknowledged that they had excelled in their respective professions in the US.

He stressed “Nigerians in Diaspora are an important group particularly those in the US.”

According to him, the administration needs them to work in different areas of the Nigerian economy.

“You do not have to relocate to Nigeria to make the necessary impact, you can come and establish businesses to create jobs for your brothers and sisters at home,” Jonathan said.

The coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in her remarks said that the country’s economy was growing stronger, noting that the Jonathan’s transformation agenda was helping the economy.

IVERS State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has accused the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, of mingling with criminals in the state.

Amaechi, who spoke at the maiden edition of Rivers International Fashion Week in Port Harcourt on Sunday, said the development had worsened the security situation in the state.

The governor explained that those that orchestrated kidnapping, killings, rape and armed robbery in the state in 2007, were fighting hard to come back to power in the state.

Amaechi added that the state would not allow the current commissioner of police in the state to take the state back to 2007 when crime was at it highest level in Rivers.

He recalled that the state government was able to fight crime from 2007 with the support of several police commissioners that came to serve in the state, adding that only Mbu had gone contrary to his (Mbu) function of securing lives and property.

The governor explained that the people would not allow those stealing the state’s resources to come back, adding that his administration was committed to protecting the state’s resources.

“Mbu is mingling with criminals, but no matter the number of police commissioners they send here, we will not allow the state to be taken over by criminals.

“We have been able to fight crime in the past and we chased criminals away from the state with the support of police commissioners who came to serve in the state at that time.

“But only Mbu has refused to support us in fighting crime. Those who stole the resources of the state are trying to come back, the government with the people of the state will not allow them,” he said.

However, efforts made to reach the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Angela Agabe, to react to Amaechi statement, was not successful as she could not respond to several calls put across to her by our correspondent.

This further fuelled speculations that the PPRO had been removed over the alleged shoddy manner she handled the story of the release of the kidnapped Archbishop Ignatius Kattey.

The clergyman had said that the police were not responsible for his release contrary to what Agabe told the press.

@ Payless,we need to douse the tension in this section.

Nigerian midfielder Mikel Obi scored his first-ever goal in the English Premier League (EPL) for Chelsea FC seven years after joining the premiership on Saturday and it was celebrated by his entire family.

The goal was scored during Chelsea FC’s match against Fulham at Stamford Bridge, the club’s home grounds.

Mikel struck in the 84th minute, giving the North London club a 2-0 derby win over Martin Jol’s Fulham in week five of the league.

Ebere Obi, Mikel’s elder brother, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the whole family was excited at the first-ever goal.

“I feel great, it is a thing of joy for him to be playing for a club like Chelsea, playing week-in, week-out, without scoring.

“But he kept on working and hoping that one day, he will score and now, he has made it, I’m so happy for that,’’ Ebere said.

Ebere, a second-choice goalkeeper with Heartland FC of Owerri, added that there was a lot of merriment at home on Saturday as the Obi family saw the goal as a thing to celebrate.

Chelsea’s Manager, Jose Mourinho, said after the match that it was good for the Nigerian midfielder and for the club, adding that it will add to his confidence.

“Good for him, good for us. It’s good for his confidence. He played well, giving balance to the team,’’ Mourinho said.

Mourinho added that Mikel’s first EPL goal would definitely spark a flurry of congratulations for him.

.Punches right ,left and center from Boko Haram. .Buhari was @ Old Trafford on a sympathy visit to Jangaba with ill-gotten wealth.

2015,haters of GEJ will change their names on Nairaland after massive defeat

How did Buhari fund is trip to Manchester United?we were told many times he did not stole a dime when he was in power.Am not too sure his pension will also be enough to pay for his trip and accomodation.@ Cleverly and co,pls,can you tell us how incorruptable Buhari manage to fund his trip to London peharp in a chartred Jet.