Ms Stella Oduah: A minister and her controversial cars

Culled from Sunday Mirror

by AYO ESAN on Oct 27, 2013 |

This is not the best of times for the Aviation Minister, Ms Stella Oduah, as she has been in the news in the past three weeks for the wrong reason. Oduah, who is currently in Israel on holy pilgrimage with President Goodluck Jonathan, is in the eye of the storm over the alleged purchase of two BMW 760 armoured cars worth $1.6m (N255m) for her, by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.

The cost of the controversial cars, according to reports from independent investigation, ought not to have exceeded N78.5m. President Jonathan on Wednesday set up a panel to probe allegations that the minister purchased the two armoured vehicles worth $1.4 million (870,000 Euros). Continue reading “Ms Stella Oduah: A minister and her controversial cars”

Oduah: Groups plan nationwide mass protest

 

Culled from Sunday PUNCH

October 27, 2013 by Leke Baiyewu and Allwell Okpi

SOME civil society groups have said unless those found culpable in the N255m — armoured cars scandal rocking the Ministry of Aviation are investigated and prosecuted, they will take to the streets in mass protests.

The groups include the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, the Campaign for Democracy, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, the Joint Action Front, the Civil Liberties Organisation and the Committee for Democracy and Rights of the People. Continue reading “Oduah: Groups plan nationwide mass protest”

National dialogue: When president stirred dust of controversy

Culled from Saturday Mirror

by TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE on Oct 26, 2013 |

When President Goodluck Jonathan publicly declared his intention to organise a national dialogue, many people, especially advocates of national conference received the news with joy and they showered encomiums on him for a wise decision. It was to them, yielding to the yearning and aspirations of the people of Nigeria.

This, is however, not to say that many others are not in the least impressed by the action of the president. While some people see the inauguration of the Senator Femi Okurounmu-led Advisory Committee on National Dialogue as the beginning of a process and sincerity of the current administration to bring Nigerians to a round-table to discuss and proffer solutions to the myriad of problems facing the country, some consider it a mere diversionary tactics.

The mixed reactions were yet to abate when the president declared that the report of the conference would be sent to the National Assembly for consideration. The president made the declaration while receiving the Muslim community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), led by Vice President Namadi Sambo and the Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, on the occasion of the traditional Sallah homage at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, last Tuesday. According to the president, the visit would be sent to the National Assembly for consideration and for possible inclusion in the constitution since the legislature was in the process of constitutional amendment.

His words: “This National Dialogue is critical and is coming at the right time because the National Assembly is thinking about how they will amend the constitution. So, the results of the discussion of course will be passed to the National Assembly.

“It is only left for all of us who are Nigerians to impress it on our representatives, those in National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly because our state and federal parliaments must work together to ensure these are properly enshrined in our constitution so that as a nation, we will hand over a country that is better than what we have met to our children.” If there was anything the president’s declaration achieved, it was stoking the fire of controversy.

To some Nigerians, the decision of the president to send the conference report to National Assembly, is justifiable since the National Assembly is saddled with the responsibility of making laws and amending the constitution, but some believe that doing so would make nonsense of the National Dialogue, since the major aim of the conference is to provide a platform for Nigerian people to determine their faith and how they want the country to be governed. Some political analysts, lawyers and human rights activists have argued that the outcome of the national dialogue should be subjected to a referendum by the people on the account that sovereignty lies on the people.

Many are also of the view that what Nigeria needs is a Sovereign National Conference (SNC), which report cannot be tinkered with without subjecting it to a referendum. Therefore, the decision to send the report to National Assembly is seen by many as a departure from the main goal of the conference. Former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, believes that the report of the national confab should not be handed over to the National Assembly. Continue reading “National dialogue: When president stirred dust of controversy”

CACOL differs with APC on boycotting national dialogue

Culled from Saturday Mirror

by TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE on Oct 26, 2013 |

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has differed with the All Progressives Party (APC) on the party’s decision to boycott the planned national dialogue. CACOL, in a statement made available to Saturday Mirror by its chairman, Comrade Debo Adeniran, averred that it was wrong for APC to draw conclusion when the committee set up to organise it had just begun work to fashion out the modalities for the conference. Continue reading “CACOL differs with APC on boycotting national dialogue”

N255m armoured cars: Senate, Reps order probe

Culled from National Mirror

by TOLA AKINMUTIMI, GEORGE OJI, OLUSEGUN KOIKI, TORDUE SALEM AND TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE on Oct 23, 2013 |

. Bureau of Public Procurement sidelined in purchase . CACOL petitions EFCC, calls for probe

 

The National Assembly has directed its Committees on Aviation to investigate the purchase of two bulletproof armoured BMW cars at the cost of N255m ($1.6m) for the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.

The House of Representatives’ Committee on Aviation is also to probe the motive behind the minister’s refusal to approve flights by certain airlines to Kano and Abuja airports. The probe followed the unanimous approval of a motion on the floor of the House yesterday, following the resumption of the lawmakers from the Sallah break. Continue reading “N255m armoured cars: Senate, Reps order probe”

Jonathan under pressure to sack Oduah

Culled from Sunday Punch
October 20, 2013 by John Ameh, Allwell Okpi, Sunday Aborishade and Kamarudeen Ogundele
Oduah and Jonathan

President Goodluck has come under intense pressure to sack the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, over the bulletproof car scandal rocking the ministry.

The call for the minister’s removal followed the ministry’s  confirmation on Wednesday  that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority bought two bulletproof vehicles worth $1.6m (N255m) for the minister.

SUNDAY PUNCH gathered on Friday that the president’s associates have told him to remove Oduah to save the reputation of his administration.

“She has to go. We have told the President that. This disgrace is too much,” one of the president’s close associates told one of our correspondents.

An online news medium, SaharaReporters, had reported on Tuesday that the armoured vehicles were delivered to the minister in August.

It reported that documents in its possession showed that the transaction for the purchase of the two BMW cars started in June, but the request for the delivery and payment for them was fast-tracked between August 13 and 15, 2013.

The NCAA on Friday said the cars were in its possession and are used to “convey the minister and visiting foreign dignitaries.”

This contradicted the statement of the minister’s aide, Mr. Joel Obi. who had earlier admitted that the cars were purchased because Oduah’s life was in danger. Continue reading “Jonathan under pressure to sack Oduah”

The Oduahgate Scandal

National Mirror
Culled from National Mirror

 

by on Oct 21, 2013

Minister of Aviation and one of the trusted and close allies of President Goodluck Jonathan, Stella Oduah, is embroiled in an alleged corruption scandal involving over N225 million spent for the purchase of two BMW armoured vehicles

One of the BMW 760 armoured cars

One of the BMW 760 armoured cars

These are clearly not the best of times for Stella Oduah, Nigeria’s aviation minister and one of the kitchen cabinet members of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Just smarting from the criticisms that trailed her ministry’s handling of the fallout of the various air crashes in which several Nigerians have lost their lives; Oduah is presently embroiled in allegations bothering on corruption and profl igacy. She is being alleged to have forced Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA), one of the parastatals under her ministry to purchase two BMW armoured vehicles worth over the N225 million for her personal use.

An online news medium, SaharaReporters, had reported on Tuesday last week that the armoured vehicles were delivered to the minister in August.

The medium reported that documents in its possession showed that the transaction for the purchase of the two BMW cars started in June, but the request for the delivery and payment for them was fast-tracked between August 13 and 15, 2013. The transaction involved the NCAA, First Bank of Nigeria, and Coscharis Motors Limited and according to the report, the two black BMW 760 Li HSS vehicles with chassis numbers WBAHP41050DW68032 and WBAHP41010DW68044, were reportedly delivered to the NCAA on August 13, 2013. They were received by two store managers, F. Onoabhagbe and Y. A. Amzat, who is also the agency’s head of transport.” Continue reading “The Oduahgate Scandal”

President GoodluckJonathan Agrees To Sack Stella Oduah and Recover The N255million


3:37 PM AJETUNMOBI SHERIF BLOG
President Goodluck Jonathan has come under intense pressure from some powerful men to sack a “corrupt” and “reckless” Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, over the N255m bulletproof car scandal.

Already, President Jonathan has met with his close associates and they have concluded that Stella Oduah is a baggage that is too heavy for Jonathan to carry. “She has to go. This disgrace is too much.”

A source close to Jonathan’s inner circle in Aso Rock told Nigerian News Portal that the cash will be recovered. I hear that Stella Oduah is seriously begging Patience Jonathan to save her job and her face.

The call for the minister’s removal followed the ministry’s confirmation on Wednesday that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority bought two bulletproof vehicles worth $1.6m (N255m) for Stella Oduah.

The NCAA had on Friday claimed that the cars were in its possession and are used to “convey the minister and visiting foreign dignitaries.”

But this contradicted the statement of the minister’s aide, Mr. Joe Obi, who had earlier admitted that the cars were purchased because Stella Oduah’s life was in danger. Continue reading “President GoodluckJonathan Agrees To Sack Stella Oduah and Recover The N255million”

More Pressure Mounts For Sack Of Aviation Minister

Written By CKN NIGERIA on Sunday, 20 October 2013 | 6:37 am

President Goodluck has come under intense pressure to sack the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, over the bulletproof car scandal rocking the ministry.

The call for the minister’s removal followed the ministry’s  confirmation on Wednesday  that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority bought two bulletproof vehicles worth $1.6m (N255m) for the minister.

It was gathered on Friday that the president’s associates have told him to remove Oduah to save the reputation of his administration.

“She has to go. We have told the President that. This disgrace is too much,” one of the president’s close associates told one of our correspondents.

An online news medium, SaharaReporters, had reported on Tuesday that the armoured vehicles were delivered to the minister in August. Continue reading “More Pressure Mounts For Sack Of Aviation Minister”

“This disgrace is too much”: The voices are growing louder for Jonathan to sack Oduah

 

Calls for the minister’s removal have ratcheted up following the ministry’s admission on Wednesday that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority bought two bulletproof vehicles worth $1.6m (N255m) for the aviation minister.

According to the Punch, some presidential aides on Friday told Jonathan to remove Oduah to save the administration’s reputation.

“She has to go. We have told the President that. This disgrace is too much,” the paper, citing one of the president’s close associates, said. Continue reading ““This disgrace is too much”: The voices are growing louder for Jonathan to sack Oduah”