An Igbo group, Aka Ikenga has called for an end to the outrage over the Aviation minister, Stella Oduah’s purchase of two cars valued at N255 million.
Goddy Uwazurike, president of the group, said any Nigerian that believed the report written by Sahara Reporters is an idiot.
His words: “It is an idiot who believes what is written by Sahara Reporters. People should stop peddling falsehood. Don’t give a dog a bad name in order to hang that dog.
“The first question we need to ask is ‘were the cars budgeted for?’ If it is part of the current budget that is Mr. President’s budget, there is nothing wrong in that.
“Also, why are people giving the impression that the cars were the personal properties of the minister?
“Every ministry has official cars scattered in almost all the airports in this country. But when the minister leaves or resigns, he or she leaves all those cars behind.
“There is a serious campaign in some quarters to get Mr. President to sack the minister, why? Is it the minister’s fault that a pilot decides to take a plane that is being repaired and fly it in the air?
“Let us stop all these campaigns of calumny against the minister,” Uwazurike said.
However several Civil Society Organizations and anti-corruption groups took the minister to the cleaners over her reckless purchase.
Human Rights lawyer, Bamidele Aturu called on Nigerians to stand up for their rights and stop being taken for a ride.
He said, “They believe Nigerians cannot do anything. They have the belief that they can spend our money recklessly and nothing will happen.
“It is a culture of impunity and it is indefensible. Which security is she talking about?
“If she can spend such an amount on her security alone, how much then are they spending on the security of the President?
“So, is her security more important than that of you and I and over 150 million Nigerians? I think we should not allow these things to go on like this.
“We must find a way of checking it and putting an end to it. We have a lot of people in this country who don’t even know where the next meal will come from.
“It is very sad. We should not just lament. We have to do something about this,” Aturu said.
Afenifere spokesman, Yinka Odumakin, said the minister should be made to surrender the cars and return the money.
“To buy two cars for N255 million for one person in this kind of economy is quite insensitive, a misplaced priority and not a prudent way to spend money.
“I think there is no sense of decorum in such an outlandish expenditure. The minister should be made to return the cars and the money paid back into the government’s coffers,” he said.
Onyekachi Ubani, Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja branch called on President Jonathan to sack the minister, and said such actions was why Nigeria needs a National Conference.
“You see what we are saying about having a conference which will determine how we govern this country for the betterment of everyone. Do you see that people who you have given the treasury to manage are the same people looting the treasury.
“It is only in Nigeria that somebody will give you something to keep for him, and when he comes back, you have stolen the thing that is kept in your care.
“How can somebody take control of two cars for a whopping N255 million in a country where ASUU has been on strike for three months and the government said there is no money to pay them?
“How can you do that in a country where people can barely afford three square meals per day?
“I believe the minister should be sacked; but I doubt if Mr. President will do that because her appointment was as a result of her role as the Coordinator for Neighbour to Neighbour in the 2011 elections,” the lawyer said.
Itse Sagay, constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), described the minister’s action as simply wicked and callous.
“The minister’s action is not only outrageous but it is also symptomatic of what is killing this country.
“It is symptomatic of the recklessness of politicians and public servants who think that public fund and the resources of Nigerians are to be spent totally and completely for their fancy without restraint.
“There are millions of Nigerians who are living below poverty level.
“It is reckless, it is irresponsible, it is criminal for anybody to spend N255 million on two cars. ”