Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC on Thursday tongue-lashed the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The lawmaker’s outburst on the floor of the Senate was in reaction to a motion titled: “Urgent Need to reverse the Concessioning of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano”, which was sponsored by Senator Kawu Suleiman representing Kano South Senatorial District.
In his contribution, Ndume described the transaction involved in the concession as fraudulent, alleging that some officials in the last administration took advantage of the former President’s passiveness as a leader.
He said: “Some government agencies and officials that did the concession took advantage of Buhari’s passiveness as a leader administration.”
Meanwhile, the sponsor of the motion in the general principles explained that the concession was hurriedly done at the twilight of former President Buhari’s administration to the disadvantage of Nigerians.
He added that the concession didn’t only lack transparency but was in breach of the Federal Airports Authority and ICRC Acts while he sought the Chambers’ nod for a review.
He further lamented that the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace does not own or run any airport, insisting that the Ministry lacks powers to carry out a concession.
Kawu maintained: “Reflects that from the combined import of the FAAN Act and the ICRC procedures manual, Ian evident manifestation that the entire airport’s concession is based on an incurably faulty foundation.
“There is no doubt that it is the Federal Airports Authority o Nigeria, not the Ministry of Aviation that has the power to transfer its responsibilities to a would-be concessionaire.”
Similarly, other Senators who made their contributions flared at the manner the erstwhile Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika hurriedly concessioned the airports.
In his remark, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau who presided over Thursday’s plenary in the absence of the Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabío promised that the exercise would be investigated.
He said concession is a global best practice as the government has at times shown the lack of capacity to manage airports, adding that the popular Heathrow Airport in London was concessioned to a Nigerian and it is being managed well.
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