Confusion as Kaduna Governor Heads to Germany, Deputy In Jerusalem

An investigation by SaharaReporters has exposed a simmering confusion as to who is in political control in Kaduna State with both Governor Mukhtar Yero and Deputy Governor Nuhu Bajoga out of the country. “It is an act of irresponsibility that the governor and his deputy are undertaking foreign trips at the same time,” said a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly who confirmed the development. He added, “If something happens today in the state, there is nobody on ground to take charge of controlling the situation.” The deputy governor, SaharaReporters confirmed, is Israel as part of a large entourage of governors, legislators, aides, and political friends who traveled out with President Goodluck Jonathan. Our correspondent learned that Governor Yero traveled to Germany. The Kaduna lawmaker, who asked for anonymity, said he was not aware that the governor officially wrote to the leaders and members of the state legislature about his foreign trip. “But no matter what the case may be, it is totally wrong for both the governor and deputy to be outside the state without cogent reasons bordering on health or incapacitation,” he said. The legislator’s sentiments were echoed by a statement sent to SaharaReporters by the Kaduna Salvation Movement (KASMO), a civic pressure group. Condemning the absence of the state’s two top officials, the group’s leader, Mohammed Soba, stated that his group “views the absence of both Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero and his Deputy Nuhu Bajoga from the state as a sign of ignorance of the ethics of governance.” The statement added, “It is unfortunate that while the Deputy Governor Bajoga is away in Israel, Governor Yero also decided to embark on a jamboree tour to Germany leaving Kaduna State without any form of leadership against the letters and spirit of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This singular action has exposed the ineptitude and incompetence of Governor Yero who has never demonstrated even elementary knowledge of what governance is all about.” Mr. Soba continued: “Never in the political history of Kaduna State has governance been treated with so much contempt, impunity and unseriousness than under Governor Yero who has a penchant for executive truancy and absenteeism to cover his complex and incompetence. No serious Governor that understands the functions of a government would leave his State at a time when the Deputy Governor is not on seat and out of the country to take charge.” The group called on the Kaduna State House of Assembly to probe the absence of both the Governor and his Deputy “with a view to finding out the circumstances surrounding their absence from the state at the same time when there is no cogent reason to justify their conspired absence and to invoke the provisions of the constitution by applying the appropriate sanctions including impeachment. Kaduna State has had enough share of executive impunity and therefore, Governor Yero must be made to account for his unofficial absence from the State at a time the Deputy Governor is not also on seat in the face of multiple problems bedeviling Kaduna State.” SaharaReporters was unable to get an official reaction to the disturbing absence of the state’s two top officials.

Senate Hears How Nigeria's Aviation Minister Used Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria To Buy Four Other Bullet-Proof Cars

A Senate committee holding hearings into the aviation sector in Nigeria today shockingly heard how the Aviation Minister Stella Oduah spent $1.6 million on the purchase of two armored cars today, also the committee received further confirmation that the minister received several other cars from another agency under her control. George Uresi, the chief executive officer of the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), admitted before the Senate’s aviation committee, led by Hope Uzodinma, that FAAN bought four bullet proof cars for Ms. Oduah at N70 million each. SaharaReporters, which broke the news of how the minister forced the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to buy her two bullet-proof BMWs at the inflated cost of $800,000 each, had also subsequently reported that other agencies under Ms. Oduah had also bought her extremely expensive, overpriced cars. Mr. Uresi’s testimony today confirmed our earlier reports that the minister hauled in at least six armored cars from a variety of aviation agencies. Our correspondent reported that Mr. Uresi, the CEO of FAAN, sweated profusely as he told Senator Uzodinma’s committee that FAAN bought four bullet-proof cars for Ms. Oduah. “He was sweating bullets even though the committee room was heavily air-conditioned,” said our citizen reporter. The FAAN boss’s testimony revealed that the transaction resembled how the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) bought two BMW armored cars for the minister at inflated price. According to Mr. Uresi, FAAN bought two armored Lexus limousine cars and two Prado armored sports utility vehicles (SUVs) for Ms. Oduah. Contacted later this evening, a member of the Senate’s aviation committee told SaharaReporters that he had heard rumors that the leadership of the committee was looking for ways to cover up Ms. Oduah’s car-buying scandal. “Some of us will not allow anybody to cover up anything,” said the senator. Senator Uzodinma gave Mr. Uresi till Monday to provide the paperwork for the purchase of the four cars his agency procured for the minister’s use. Meanwhile, a source who works at FAAN told SaharaReporters that 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. SaharaReporters 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. SaharaReporters had also reported that another agency, National Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), also bought four Toyota Tundras for the minister. After our revelation, NAMA authorities went on a desperate search for companies to claim ownership of four limousines parked at the aviation agency’s TRACON site in Abuja. Today, the Senate asked NAMA officials to bring over the supposed owners of the vehicles along with proof of their ownership. In the end, NAMA claimed that the vehicles belong to a local airline, Overland Airways. But in a clear indication of fishiness, some other company had called SaharaReporters to claim ownership of the limousines. Ms. Oduah is expected to appear before the House of Representative tomorrow (Wednesday) to answer questions on the scandal of the $1.6 million she squandered on the purchase of two armored BMW cars. In the wake of our revelations of the minister’s car-buying spree, she traveled to Israel as part of President Goodluck Jonathan’s official delegation to religious sites in that country. Mrs. Oduah returned to Nigeria on Monday night a few minutes after she attended a ceremony where a Bilateral Services Agreement was signed with Israel.