2027 Race Heats Up As Hadi Sirika Throws Hat Into Senate Ring

His declaration signals his return to frontline politics as preparations gradually build toward the next general election.

Meanwhile, Sirika has also revisited the controversy surrounding the failed Nigeria Air project, blaming some domestic airline operators under the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) for frustrating the initiative.

The former minister maintained that the process for establishing the national carrier was transparent and received approvals from both the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).

According to him, local operators such as Air Peace, Azman, and United Nigeria Airlines opposed the project because of concerns over Nigeria’s limited equity stake in the proposed airline.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Sirika also dismissed reports that about ₦100 billion was spent on the project, stating that the approved budget was ₦5 billion, out of which only ₦3 billion was released.

He explained that the partnership with Ethiopian Airlines was necessary because no local carrier had the capacity to compete with major international airlines. However, he said legal actions initiated by some domestic operators stalled the project and ultimately contributed to the collapse of Nigeria Air.