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Chiawo Nwankwo and Olusola Fabiyi

A request by former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Michael Aondoakaa (SAN), for the release of N50m to enable a team travel abroad to launder the country's image in the wake of Farouk Abdulmutallab's ill-fated attempt to bomb a US airline, has become a subject of controversy in Abuja.

Michael Aondoakaa (SAN)

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Aondoaaka had claimed, in a request made late January, that he obtained a presidential approval to undertake the trip to four countries.

The identities of the said countries could not be ascertained, nor was the date in January the request was made.

Meanwhile, the controversial former A-G who was redeployed on the first day of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the Acting President, commenced a one-month vacation on Friday.

One of our correspondents gathered that Aondoakaa told his close aides that he decided to commence his vacation because he did not want anything to do with the Ag. President status of Jonathan whom he continued to refer to as the vice-president.

The Abdulmuttalab saga and the sectarian crisis in Jos, Plateau State had provoked undue negative foreign reportage of Nigeria , which the minister said, telling the country's side of the story was absolutely necessary.

However, the big question is: was it Yar'Adua, who no public official had seen since he left the country for Saudi Arabia on November 23, 2009 that gave the approval?

It was gathered that the N50m request was addressed to the Minister of Finance, Dr. Mansur Muktar and the Minister of State of Finance, Mr. Remi Babalola.

But the request was ultimately passed to the Director-General Budget, Dr. Bright Okogu.

When contacted on the telephone on Sunday, Okogu confirmed that his office received such application from Aondoaaka.

However, he could not say whether it was approved, just as he said there were many requests of such nature, which were not approved.

Okogu told our correspondent, "Well, I don't specifically remember if it was approved because a lot of so many requests were made during that period and many of them were turned down.

"However, I will find out from my staff and get back to you after our budget seminar."

The former AGF had in January been involved in altercation with the Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Stephen Oronsanya on a central travel unit for all the MDAs, which he opposed.

Oronsanye had justified the new scheme on the need to save cost for government.

Aondoaaka has reportedly traveled out of the country on vacation, shortly after he was redeployed as Minister of Special Duties.