By Eric Elezuo
What was supposed to be a wonderful development for Nigeria and Nigerians on May 25, 2023 suddenly turned to soured grapes as untold fraud, deception and ineptitude were discovered.
Prior to the fateful day, the erstwhile Minister of Aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika, had promised Nigerians that the much talked about Nigeria Air, a project of almost seven years, will fly before the end of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. He was the minister in charge, his shortcomings notwithstanding, Nigerians did not have much of a choice but the believe him, especially with the humongous amount of money spent on the project. So the waiting started. And with just four days to the end of the eight years government, a certain plane in Nigerian colours, reported flew into the Nigeria airspace. The public was told that Nigeria Air has finally been unveiled. The public cheered, and the event was celebrated with pomp and pageantry with photographs and possible popping of champagne and clicking of glasses.
Buhari and Hadi Sirika have eventually delivered, and Nigerians somehow will have something positive to remember about them as their relevance in Nigeria politics gradually eclipses in obscurity, or so did Nigerians thought.
But the euphoria of finally having an airline was short-lived as facts began to trickle in regarding the naked fraud and daylight deception Nigerians were subjected to…Sirika and his co-travellers had no airline nor aircraft for Nigerians. What happened was pure administrative impunity and the shenanigans that have characterised the Buhari eight years of stewardship.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nigeria Air, Dapo Olumide, confirmed what Nigerians feared when he revealed that the aircraft used for the unveiling of the national carrier was a chartered flight from Ethiopian Airlines.
He told a house of representatives committee on aviation that the aircraft was returned to Ethiopia about two days after the unveiling.
“It was a chartered flight,” he said.
His remark was a reaction to comments from members of the committee who said the aircraft bore the colours of the Nigerian flag. The committee had no choice therefore, but to declare the whole process a charade; a fraud. Apparently, Sirika had contacted ET and asked them to provide an aircraft which would be presented as Nigeria Air in order to beat the deadline he gave.
Many questions have arisen therefore demanding why Sirika was in a hurry to unveil what was not available, and misinforming Nigerians. How could he claim a chartered flight that has no bearing to Nigeria was a national carrier?
It is imperative that with the stance President Bola Tinubu has taking against corruption, and with the sack and arrest of Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele, Sirika and his co-travellers in the charade should be brought to book to explain all the know about the fraudulent flight, and made to pay the penalties. It is unheard of that those men are still walking free, having taken the entire country for a ride.
More disheartening is the fact that reports show that at least N85.42 billion was budgeted for the national carrier project in seven years. The Federal Government had in 2019 budgeted N47 billion and between 2020 and 2022 an additional N14.6 billion was budgeted, while yet another N24 billion was captured in the 2023 budget for the carrier but with nothing to show for it.
This is an urgent call to get the former Minister and others involved to explain to Nigerians how the humongous amount was spent, why a court order was disobeyed and why the fraudulent unveiling.
