A new revelation has emerged in the ongoing controversy surrounding the establishment of Nigeria Air, the national air carrier. Former Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, claimed that House of Representatives member Nnolim Nnaji, who accused him of fraud in relation to the project, had actually asked for a 5% stake in the airline. During a hearing in the House of Representatives, Nnaji had labeled the Nigeria Air deal as fraudulent.
The allegations against Sirika also included claims from the acting managing director of Nigeria Air, Captain Dapo Olumide, who accused the former minister of imposing a fraudulent deal on the nation by chartering an aircraft from Ethiopian Airlines to showcase as belonging to the airline.
As a result of these allegations, there have been calls from the public for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate Sirika. However, in his first public response to the backlash during an interview on Arise News Television, Sirika alleged that Nnaji had approached him and requested a 5% stake in the airline for himself and his associates.
Sirika stated, "Hon Nnaji asked me that I should give him 5% of Nigeria to carry him along with his people, and I said to him at that time that honorable, you didn't understand me. This is a bidding process that has taken place. And some people won, so I think he should go to those people and ask for the 5%."
In response to Sirika's bribery allegations, Nnaji swiftly denied ever asking for a 5% share in the deal. He described Sirika as a "drowning man struggling to grab anything on his way to survive the barrage of attacks he has been receiving since his controversial unveiling ceremony of the so-called Nigeria Air."
Nnaji explained that his demands were focused on transparency and due process in the aviation sector, particularly regarding the Nigeria Air project. He clarified that his committee had requested the details of the project from Sirika, including evidence of the bidding process and the full business case prepared by the Nigerian Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
The controversy surrounding Nigeria Air continues to unfold, with conflicting accounts and allegations adding to the public scrutiny of the project.
