Former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has dismissed allegations that the Nigeria Air project initiated under the Muhammadu Buhari administration was fraudulent.
Sirika, who spoke on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, insisted that the project was a legitimate public-private partnership duly regulated by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
“It is a lie that I spent N100 billion and it is lost in the process. The total budget for the national carrier was N5 billion, the total amount released was N3 billion, and I left the ministry with over N1 billion,” the former minister stated.
The Nigeria Air project was unveiled towards the end of Buhari’s tenure. It faced criticism from stakeholders, particularly the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), who described it as a sham and challenged it in court.
Sirika, who served two terms as aviation minister, is currently facing trial on corruption-related charges. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused him of awarding multi-billion-naira contracts to companies linked to his daughter, Fatima Sirika, and his son-in-law, Jalal Hamma. One of the firms, Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, allegedly received N1.3 billion for an unexecuted contract.
When asked if his visit to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Monday was connected to his ongoing trial, Sirika denied seeking a “soft landing.” He explained that the purpose of the visit was to extend condolences to the President following the death of former President Buhari and to reaffirm the support of their political party.
“This matter is before a court of law, and it should not be subjected to press debate. I am a very clean man. I have worked with people, and the government has every instrument at its disposal to verify my character,” he said.
It can be recalled that members of The Buhari Organisation visited Tinubu in Aso Rock yesterday.