Diezani jet scandal: House to summon aircraft owner, others

 

The House of Representatives has vowed not to leave any stone unturned in its investigation into the alleged N10bn spent on a private jet reportedly chartered by the Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke. 

A member from Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Adejare, who moved the motion, informed the House that maintaining the jet alone, gulped N3.120bn in the last two years.

Speaking to Sunday PUNCH on the House resolution, the Chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, said the investigation would be thorough, regardless of the high positions of persons involved.

“We are here to serve public interest and trust. This investigation is not a witch-hunt, we are looking for evidence and facts. But, we are prepared and will not let anything go unnoticed.”

SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that among parties to be invited by the committee would be the firm that leased the jet to Alison-Madueke, top officials of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Ministry of Finance.

“There are pertinent questions to be answered. How does she pay for the services of this jet? Is there a budgetary provision? Who approved it? Is a minister entitled to a private jet funded by public resources? These and many more will come to fore in the course of the investigation,” another source said.

Last week, lawmakers raised the alarm that the alleged N10bn expenses on the jet “eclipsed” the N255m bulletproof cars said to have been procured for former Aviation Minister, Ms. Stella Oduah, by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority in 2013.

“This case is worse than Oduah’s case. From N255m, we are now talking of N10bn. How many more ministers are living this lifestyle unknown to the public?” the source added.