The Former minister of aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika says the immediate past chairman House Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji requested five percent of the Nigeria Air shares from him as bribe.
This is just as the former minister said, from 2016-2023 the monies voted and budgeted for the national carrier was N5bn and what was released was in the neighborhood of N3bn.
Speaking on Arise Television Live programme and monitored Sirika disclosed that, he has a recording of Mr. Nnaji requesting for the five percent of Nigeria Air from him and his people.
Sen. Sirika said, he told Nnaji that it was through bidding process and should approach the owners of the airline with his money.
“What I said to him in private, I will say it now. He asked me (just to give him some comfort) please, please please indulge him and give him 5 percent of the airline. That 5 percent what I told him in private and it belongs to the Owners and believe they will still be willing to offer him if he has the money”.
“It was not me giving it and I didn’t get involved because it was a bidding process am quite sure they will reserve 5 percent for him and his people according to him”.
Speaking on Nigeria Air and the alleged over N85 bn spent on the airline so far, Sirika said between 2016-2023, the Federal government budgeted N5bn and has so far released N3bn which was spent on Air Operators Certificate (AOC), Salaries, consultancy services and office in Abuja.
He hinted that not all the N3 bn released has been spent before he left office adding that he has all the records on what the money was used for.
On the aircraft chartered for unveiling at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, on May 26, Sirika said no money was paid on the aircraft belonging to Ethiopian Airlines and was solely brought in by the airline on their AOC and no passenger was ferried out by the aircraft.
He said the aircraft unveiling in Abuja was market strategy by the airlines to showcase how the aircraft will look like when the AOC is ready and ready to fly adding that the strategy was from its partners, Ethiopian Airlines.
On the court order restricting the operations of the airline, Sirika said he was aware of the order but also that there was a motion to vacate the order.
