A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Babatunde Adejare, who moved the motion for the probe on Thursday asked the House to investigate the use of N10 billion allegedly by the Minister of Petroleum as flight charter charges between 2012 and 2014.
A group, the Concerned Aviation Professionals (CAP) had two weeks ago published paid advertisements which alleged that an unnamed minister was frittering away public money in respect of the challenger aircraft.
But Hon. Adejare said in a motion on House floor on Thursday last week that investigations confirmed that the said minister is the Minister of Petroleum.
There have been no official response from the Ministry of Petroleum since the motion was adopted last week, but sources told the Nigerian Tribune that the probe has dovetailed into the ownership the aircraft in question.
A member of the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives was said to have a “secured proof” to the effect that the aircraft and the company that leases it to the minister belongs to a member of the Federal Executive Council.(FEC).
It was learnt that the Rep member has already supplied the Public Accounts Committee details which indicated that the owner of the Challenger aircraft is a member of the FEC.
“Besides the allegations that the minister allegedly frittered away public funds to pay for the aircraft on foreign and local trips, there are also issues about ownership of the plane. It is alleged that the jet is possibly owned by a member of the FEC. It is important that we get to the roots of this issue. It will tell a lot about what we do with public funds in our country,” the Rep said.
It was also alleged that besides the Challenger 850 aircraft said to have been used by the minister, the ministry might have incurred further costs on aircraft charter since the loss of its own jet three years ago.
Sources said that the minister is already preparing her defence against the probe by the Reps but it was said on Sunday that the development was causing ripples within the ranks of some loyalists of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Sources said that accusing fingers were already being pointed at some members of the caucus who lost relevance recently as being behind the travails of the minister.
NLC backs NASS probe of Petroleum minister
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has described as a welcome development the decision by the House of Representatives to probe the alleged use of N3.120 billion on maintanance of private jet by the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Allison Madueke.
But the congress said in a statement late last night that the National Assembly should probe the minister and extend the probe to the state governors and other public office holders who are also involved in the same national shame.
In the statement signed by the President of NLC, Comrade Abdulwahed Omar, the congress said the probe was timely as it was coming at a time that other public office holders, including state governors had also been alleged to have squandered as much as N130 million monthly to hire and maintain private jets.
Comrade Omar said: “The allegation that the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Allison Madueke spent the sum of N3.120 billion in two years maintaining a private jet and this will be subject to probe by the House of Representatives, is a welcome development. This probe is timely as it is coming at a time that other public office holders, including state governors had also been alleged to have squandered as much as N130 million monthly to hire and maintain private jets.
“We support the move by the National Assembly to probe Mrs. Allison-Madueke. The probe should equally be extended to the governors and other public office holders involved in this national shame.”
Source: Tribune
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