Sirika: Reps member who called Nigeria Air fraud demanded bribe

Former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika

The immediate past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has accused the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, who branded the launch of Nigeria Air as fraud of demanding five percent shares of the national carrier from him.

The Star recalls that Nnaji, while speaking after a meeting with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation, Emmanuel Meribole; the Interim Managing Director, Nigeria Air, Capt. Dapo Olumide; and heads of aviation agencies in Abuja on June 6, declared that the launch of Nigeria Air is a fraud.

However, Sirika, in an interview with ARISE TV on Sunday, June 11, said Nnaji demanded five percent shares of the airline for “him and his people”.

The former minister said: “On the issue of Hon. Nnaji who called Nigeria Air launch a fraud, I will respond now. I will say exactly what I told him in private when we spoke.

“Nnaji asked me that I should give him five per cent of Nigeria Air to carry him along with his people, and I said to him at that time, Honourable, a bidding process that has taken place, and some people won. So, I think you should go to those people and ask for the five per cent.”

Asked if Nnaji asked for bribe for himself and other lawmakers, Sirika said: “Let’s be fair, Hon Nnaji didn’t say other members. He said he wants it for himself and his people. His people could his be his family, could be members and it could be leadership. I don’t know, but he insisted on 5 per cent. I said that he should relax and approach the owners. That’s exactly what I told him.”

Sirika further lashed out at Nnaji and the House of Reps Committee on Aviation for conducting what he described as a “predetermined hearing”.

He added: “I was a member of the House of Reps 20 years ago, and 10 years ago, I was a Senator. I know the workings of the National Assembly. He (Nnaji) called for public hearing. And right under the public hearing, he just turned the paper and read the riot act.

“The practice in the National Assembly is that after hearing people and the complaint, you now go and sit down as a committee, discuss the issues, raise them, approach the whole House of Reps and take position of the House plus leadership and come back and make your findings known, but not immediately you just read the riot Act out. It means is predetermined.”

The Star