USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: MS. ODUAH’S BMWS’

 

 

Vince, Mazi B. Aduba and Fellow Compatriots:

 

I have read Ms Stella Oduah's statement of Defence as prsented to the HOR Committee

probing the purchase of two armoured vehicles. The following is my reaction to Ms Oduah's presentation:

 

a) The minister presented herself very well. She demonstrated  a reasonable grasp

of what the duties of the Minister of Aviation should be.

 

b) That her answer if asked would have been an emphatic NO, if the question of whether a Minister of Aviation or any other serving Minister

in Nigeria, save for the Minister of Defence should have a bullet proof luxury vehicle purchased for him or her

personal use and safety.

 

c) She should fire all of her spokespersons at the Ministry of Aviation and FAAN--and all other self appointed ones

on Nigerian cyberspace--considering they have all caused her a lot of grief both individually and collectively

by their ill considered and half baked "the boss and our ethnic kin must be protected from harm at all costs.

 

d) If all she presented to the committee including the supporting verifiable documents are certified to be genuine and assuming that

there are no other dirty linens to be aired in the near future at the Ministry of Aviation and each and every one of its parastatals.

I would have no reason not to support a decision by the committee to exonerate the minister on the following basis:

 

---she and her senior staff did a lot of leg work to ensure that the purchases followed the due process

even if they remain both ill considered and inappopriate and do not meet the test of probity--judging by the inflated costs of the vehicles. Government officials must manage the financial affairs of the nation

with due regard that Nigeria remains a poor developing nation regardless of her immense human and natural resources--and that a kobo spent on an inappropriate item (e.g. luxury armoured limos for a minister or in her words for visiting dignatories is a kobo that is not available to provide basis services for Nigerian citizens--including improving the infrastructure and helping the struggling middle class and the abjectly poor. Whethe or not a Nigerian becomes the President or Vice President of ICAO or any other international organizations means little to the vast majority of Nigerian citizens who cannot afford to provide adeuate nutrition, housing and education for their families. Nigerian leaders must stop acting like a super power that we are not!

 

e) The following issues remain outstanding:

 

       1) did anyone --not necessarily Ms Stella Oduah recive kickbacks for the purchase' of all most

300 vehicles including armoured limosuines by parastatals under the watch of the Ministry of Aviation

 

        2) the issue of tax waivers for the purchased vehicles

 

        3) are the mark ups for the dealership on he vehicles inline with BMW's policies?

 

Summary:

 

My only interest in this matter is to seek the TRUTH of the matter--and let all linens both dirty

and clean be aired in the public space and to hold our leaders and public officials accountable

for their actions, regardless of ethnicity, gender or religion.

 

Even though I do not believe in the idea of perfect human beings, I would not support the idea

of rogues running the affiars of Nigeria as if it is their private fiefdom.

 

I stand with all other Nigerians who refused to play the ethnic card on this matter.

The truth is the truth no matter who and who is not on the hot seat.

 at ny moment in time and on whatever issue.

If I were President Jonathan, and if the other panel set up by him corroborates what has now been made

public at the House Committee I will

 

a) issue a cautionary reprimand to Ms Stella Oduah--about the need for proper discretion on how government funds are

disbursed and on the need for a better sense of priorities by Ms Oduah and alll other federal ministers and senior bureaucrats.

 

b)  let Ms Oduah keep her job.

 

c)  remain for ever vigilante in my supervision of Ms Oduah and all senior government officials

who report directly to me.

 

Finally, this issue emphasizes the fact that Nigerian journalism as the kids say would say--SUCKS big time!

 

Bye,

 

Ola

---- Original Message ----
From: Baduba54 <baduba54@aol.com>
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Sent: Fri, Nov 1, 2013 11:44 am
Subject: MS. ODUAH'S BMWS'

MS. ODUAH'S BMWS'

Dear Mr. Otuonye,

Your extract of Ms. Oduah's presentation to the Nigerian House of Assembly (http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/defence-stella-oduah/) is appreciated. I am not going to exculpate Ms. Oduah as yet until people have reviewed the attached documents and proved that they support the honorable minister's testimony. Ms. Oduah addressed two key questions (and they were my questions also)

1. Was the purchase of the vehicles budgeted and approved normally?
2. Was the procurement process followed appropriately?

If the answers to those questions are yes and yes, then where is the story? Where is the news? Ms. Oduah seems to have provided a "yes" answer to both. But we still need to wait for verification

 

There is a third question that Nigerians have to ask and that is should Nigerian Government be purchasing the class of vehicles under review?

However this question is answered, it would have no bearing on Ms. Oduah's fitness to serve. She would still be owed apologies. But the nation might indict both the Legislators who approved the budget and the president who signed the budget. For many people the obvious answer is "no, Nigeria should not be purchasing bullet proof vehicles." While this answer would be satisfying to some, we must also recognize the dangers that exist in our country. The question might then be: under what circumstances would such vehicles be made available and to whom and for how long?

 

This matter is not over yet, but it points out the need to be patient for facts to come out before we take sides.

 

Benjamin Obiajulu Aduba

Boston, Massachusetts,

November 1, 2013

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