Ex-aviation minister Sirika, standing trial over alleged corruption, declares senate return bid

Hadi Sirika, former minister of aviation, has announced his intention to contest the Katsina north senatoral district seat in the 2027 elections.

Speaking on Friday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat in Katsina, Sirika said his supporters persuaded him to join the race.

The former minister said he would focus on improving the living conditions of residents in the senatorial district if elected.

Sirika was a member of the house of representatives between 2003 and 2007. He was later elected to the senate in 2011.

In 2023, the aviation ministry, under Sirika, unveiled Nigeria Air — three days before the end of the late President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

The development elicited concerns among stakeholders nationwide over the ownership structure, which gave Ethiopian Airlines a 49 percent stake, while the government held 5 percent and a consortium of three Nigerian investors controlled 46 percent.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Sirika for alleged abuse of office and award of contracts worth billions of naira to his relatives during his tenure as aviation minister.(TheCable)