President will probe minister — Presidency

Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak

President Goodluck Jonathan will soon order relevant government agencies to investigate the purchase of two bulletproof vehicles for the Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah.

The vehicles valued at a whopping $1.6m (about N225m) were said to have been  delivered to Oduah in August by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak, in an interview with our correspondent on Friday said Jonathan would not shield the minister.

Gulak, however, said the President would not take a decision on the fate of the embattled minister based on media reports.

He said Jonathan’s decision would be based on verifiable facts, which could only be achieved when relevant government agencies investigate the matter.

The presidential aide said Jonathan would not hesitate to show anybody found guilty of corruption or impunity the way out of his government.

He assured Nigerians that the President was on top of the situation.

He did not, however, disclose when the President would order the probe. He also did not name the agencies that would probe the allegation.

Gulak said, “I can assure you that President Jonathan will not shield the minister or any government official for that matter if he receives information that is true.

“In this particular instance, the reports are in the media. But media reports are not    enough to act on.

“The President is on top of the situation. He will direct appropriate authorities to investigate the matter.

“Anybody found wanting in terms of corruption or impunity, President Jonathan will not hesitate to show such person the way out of his government.

“The most important thing is that such decision must be based on facts as provided by appropriate government agencies that will investigate, not based on media reports.”

Some stakeholders in the aviation industry and civil society  groups had on Thursday called on the nation’s anti-corruption agencies to investigate the matter.