Stella Oduah in Another Two Lexus Limousines And Two Prado Jeeps Purchase Scandal
While the criticism that greeted the controversial purchase of two BMW Bullet proof cars worth N255m by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), are yet to seize, the embattled Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, who the two cars where bought for has been linked to another car purchase scandal.
Aside the two bullet proof cars, there are reports that the National Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), another agency under the Ministry of Aviation, also purchased four Toyota Tundra vehicles for the Minister, Mrs. Stella Oduah.
This time however, Oduah is said to have also approved the procurement of two Lexus Limousine cars and two Toyota Prado jeeps.
The revelation of the Luxus Limousine and Toyota Prado Jeeps were made by the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. George Uriesi who appeared before the House Committee on Aviation which is investigating the purchase of two BMW bulletproof cars for her by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority at N255m.
READ: Another StellaGate: NAMA Bought Four Toyota Tundra For Stella Oduah And Four Limousines For VIPs
Uriesi said the Lexus Limousine cars and Toyota Prado jeeps were in the custody of a bank.
Although he did not give the name of the bank, he said the purchase of the four vehicles were funds raised by the bank. He said the limousines were bought for N60m each, but added that he did not have details of the cost of the Prado jeeps.
The FAAN chief told the six-member committee that while Oduah gave the approval, somebody whose name he failed to mention, signed on his (Uriesi) behalf.
An obviously enraged Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Mr. Hope Uzodinma, lambasted him for receiving approval from the minister instead of the Federal Executive Council.
He was therefore ordered to appear again before the committee on Monday with details of the transactions.
Uriesi, who was said to have sweated in the air-conditioned room while the session lasted, was also asked to bring along with him, details of other vehicles bought for the agency’s directors.
Meanwhile, a source who works at FAAN said the deal for the purchase of the cars was done through a company linked to Ms. Oduah. “The finance department of FAAN was not in the know of the purchase as the deal was done at the minister’s office with Uresi signing off on the deal.”
Although Mr. Uresi admitted to the purchase, he refused to provide the Senate committee members with details of how the deal was finalized with a bank. He also refused to disclose if Coscharis Motors Limited was involved in the latest scandal. Coscharis Motors, which is owned by Cosmas Maduka, was involved in the shady deal for the supply of the two BMWs paid for by the NCAA for the personal use of the minister. It was reported earlier that Ms. Oduah received more than N100 million as kickback after she arm-twisted NCAA officials to sign papers certifying delivery of the two cars. No officials of the agency ever saw the vehicles before signing the delivery documents.
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