Nigeria Air saga: Sirika opens up

The Former minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has started singing. For the past two weeks, the former minister has been under fire over the unveiling of the new national carrier, Nigeria Air, 48 hours before his exit.

The purported Nigeria Air was discovered to be a hired aircraft from Ethiopian Airline, repainted and rebranded in Nigeria colours.

The scam has put the country in bad light globally. However, Sirika has come out to say high powered individuals in the country also contributed in frustrating the good intention of former President Muhammadu Buhari towards the project.

He said that the Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji requested for five percent share in the airline for him and his people which he turndown directing him to the stakeholders.

In an interview on AriseTV, Sirika while responding on the issue of Hon Nnaji who called Nigeria Air launch a fraud, he said: “I will respond now. I will say exactly what I told him in private when we spoke.

“Hon Nnaji asked me that I should give him 5 percent 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 5 percent.”

“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 percent. I said that he should relax and approach the owners. That’s exactly what I told him.”

The former Minister also criticised Nnaji and the aviation committee for conducting what translated to a “predetermined hearing”.

‘I was a member of the House of Reps 20 years ago, and 10.”

Meanwhile, effort by Vanguard to get Nnaji prove abortive as he was not available to react to the development.