Chuks Akunna, former chief press secretary to former Anambra state governor, Chris Ngige on Wednesday alleged that the current minister for labour and productivity once begged Bola Tinubu for an armoured car.
Speaking via his official Twitter handle, he said the incident happened in 2004 when Ngige visited Tinubu at his Lagos residence.
He said,
“In ’04, visiting Asiwaju Tinubu in Lagos, my boss Gov Ngige spotted this car. “Bola, pls dash me. I want to use it in Abuja”. “Ah ah! Ngige, this is old nah”, replied Asiwaju. “I don’t mind. Anambra is poor. I’ll manage it”. Surprised to hear Onwa deriding his benefactor,” he said.
“Did you know how the G-wagon came about? The Lagos trip happened after we literally begged him to buy it. The beast Tinubu gifted him was moved to Abuja. That was Ngige’s “Abuja vehicle” until the CoA removed him in March ’06.
“His official car was a Peugeot 406. After the March 3, ’04, attack on Gov Akume’s convoy, in which an ex-Nig Airways MD Andrew Agom, was killed, my boss agreed to buy the armoured G-Class. It was after the purchase he fell in love with armoured cars. Jagaban’s gift was armoured.”
Chuks made the revelation after the Labour minister caused drama while appearing before a house of representatives ad hoc committee investigating the suspension of the management of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
During the session, Ngige said he is of the same age bracket with Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who is seen as Faleke’s political benefactor.