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Tag: Oduah

  • Oduah yet to hand over

    Oduah yet to hand over

    The sacked Minister of Aviation, Miss Stella Oduah, is yet to hand over to the Supervising Minister, Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom, who will preside over the ministry pending when a new minister will be appointed.

    After hours of waiting, journalist were asked to check back yesterday or Monday as no one was sure of when the handing over ceremony will hold.

    A source in the ministry, who described the sack as “sudden,” said the minister was absent because she was busy compiling her report.

    According to the source who did not want his name in print, “you will agree with me that her sack was sudden and since it is not what she prepared for, she has to compile her report. The report is taking time because she will compile report from not only Abuja but outside stations too.

    “The handing over report will include her achievements while she was in office and it will also include all the things the new minister will be overseeing. “You know the airport was undergoing remodelling, so the new minister via the report that will be presented will know how to go about his or her ministry.”

    The handing over ceremony, which was supposed to be held yesterday, will hopefully take place on Monday.

  • Abacha’s loot: We are yet to close probe – EFCC

    Abacha’s loot: We are yet to close probe – EFCC

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday said it is yet to close probe of $3billion loot allegedly traced to the late head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha.

    The agency also said it secured 117 convictions out of 533 cases in 2013.

    It added that investigation of the N255millon bullet proof cars scam, involving a former minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, is still ongoing.

    The Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, who made the disclosures at a briefing in Abuja, said there was no way the commission could close probe of Abacha’s loot.

    About $2.550billion out of $3billion had been so far recovered by the Federal Government from the late Abacha’s accounts and his family.

    The breakdown is as follows: voluntary surrender ($750m), Switzerland ($570m), Jersey ($380m), UK ($150m), Luxembourg ($300m) and Liechtenstein ($400m).

    Barely few months after the 13th year anniversary of his death, the Federal Government also recovered£22.5m (N6.18billion) loot which the late Abacha allegedly stashed in the Island of Jersey.

    Another £20million is being investigated as part of the outstanding $450million.

    Uwujaren said, “We have done substantial work on Abacha’s loot, but we have not totally closed the matter. In investigating financial crime of this nature, a case of this nature is not totally closed.

    “If there are issues on Abacha’s loot, we will still investigate them. But we have not concluded the probe of the loot.”

    On the N255millon bullet proof cars scam involving Oduah, the EFCC spokesman said investigating was in progress.

    He added: “I think the issue is not whether or not we are going to invite Oduah, we are in that matter.

    “The commission is on top of that bullet proof cars’ case and in due course, we will update you. As you know, no responsible anti-graft agency will give you insight into what it is doing at the investigation stage. But we will let you know the outcome of our investigation very soon.”

    Uwujaren, however, said the EFCC recorded about 117 convictions in 2013.

    He added: “As most of you are aware, the rate of conviction is the global benchmark for assessing the effectiveness of a law enforcement agency.

    It is my pleasure to announce to you that considerable progress was made by the commission in this area in 2013.

    “In 2013, the commission charged a total of 533 cases to court and recorded 117 convictions. This conviction figure represents an improvement over the 105 conviction recorded in 2012.

    “These figures indicate a steady progression in convictions return which is encouraging in the light of the well publicized encumbrances that the EFCC contends with in the prosecution of economic and financial crimes case.”

     

  • Reps back Oduah’s sack

    Reps back Oduah’s sack

    The House of Representatives has backed President Goodluck Jonathan’s sack of Ms Stella Oduah as Aviation Minister of Aviation.

    The lawmakers said the budget of the National Conference, though unconfirmed, would be reviewed when the House goes in into the consideration of the 2014 budget.

    House spokesman Zakari Mohammed, who spoke in company of his deputy, Victor Ogene, noted that though it was coming late, the President had done the right thing.

    Mohammed said the sack of the former minister was a justification of the House’s stance on corruption, which he said the lawmakers were focused on eliminating in government.

    Ms Oduah was, last year, accused of buying two bulletproof cars at an alleged inflated price of N255 million. The House recommended her for sack.

    Mohammed said: “The House of Representatives has kept faith with exposing corruption and for us; we have done our job. If the President has finally decided to do his now, then we are on the same page.”

    Though Mohammed refused to comment on the budgetary figure for the National Conference convoked by the Presidency, he assured that the House would review the proposal when it comes to the National Assembly.

    He said: “As an institution, it is too early for us to talk about the desirability of the conference and the budget for it. But when they bring it to us, we will look at it critically.”

    Asked about the legality of defection on the floor of the House while the Senate refused to recognise similar attempts, Ogene (APGA, Anambra) said Speaker Aminu Tambuwal was merely abiding by an early court order restraining him from declaring members’ seats vacant.

    He said: “I would like to remark that Tambuwal is a lawyer and, being a professional, he has to abide by the Rules. He is an embodiment of wishes and aspirations of all members in the House.

    “He is simply obeying court orders. Any communication that comes to him, he will address it.”

  • Oduah, Olubolade gone as Jonathan bows to pressure

    Oduah, Olubolade gone as Jonathan bows to pressure

    Unknown to many in his cabinet, President Goodluck Jonathan made up his mind on Monday to ask controversial Minister of Aviation Ms. Stella Oduah to “resign”, The Nation learnt yesterday.

    The decision came after consultations with some statesmen, clerics, stakeholders and associates.

    The exit of Oduah and three others – Police Affairs Minister Caleb Olubolade, Minister of Niger Delta Godsday Orubebe and Minister of State for Finance Yerima Ngama – is, however, likely to be a foreshadow of a major shake-up in the cabinet, including the swapping of portfolios by some ministers.

    Besides the likely removal of five more ministers, it was gathered last night that the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, might be redeployed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Minister of Transport Idris Umar may go to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

    Ministers were jittery last night when they learnt of the impending shake-up.

    Oduah’s and others’ exit was, however, with a tinge of drama as some of them queried why those they considered had worse performance were left in the cabinet.

    One of the issues that dominated the consultations between the President and some stakeholders was his perceived refusal to act “decisively” on corruption-related matters.

    The last of such consultations was a session in Abuja on Monday attended by Lagos preacher Tunde Bakare.

    Pastor Bakare was Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate during the 2011 general elections.

    Bakare, who towed the line of many clerics, insisted that Jonathan must show “practical demonstration” of his readiness to fight corruption to earn his support.

    He said the President should act on the reports on aviation scandal and other corruption issues facing the government to win the confidence of more Nigerians.

    It was gathered that the President wasted no time in dusting up the reports of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation and the Administrative Panel headed by a former Head of the Civil the Service of the Federation, Alhaji Sali Bello.

    Others on the panel were the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), and Air Vice Marshal Dick Iruenebere (rtd.) as members.

    It was learnt that the two panels found Oduah guilty of infractions bordering on abuse of contract and procurement laws.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “All these people said while Nigerians might not see anything wrong with the personality of the President, they are unhappy with his slow attitude to glaring cases of corrupt practices by some cabinet members, including the N255million bulletproof cars’ scam.

    “Pastor Tunde Bakare urged him to act ‘decisively’ on reports on investigation of some cases on his table.

    “The President gave his word to these statesmen, clerics and associates that he would cleanse the cabinet.

    “But to avoid a backlash on the career of such ministers, the President opted for soft-landing for the affected ministers by asking them to resign their appointments.”

    It was gathered that Oduah’s case was complicated by her alleged unilateral removal of the desk of the State Security Service (SSS) from airports.

    Security reports indicated that she was “indicted” for arrogating to herself the powers of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

    “The battle with the SSS also convinced the President that it was time to ask the Minister of Aviation to go,” the source added.

    Another source also alluded to last-minute battle by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, to save Oduah’s job, based on what he described as “good performance”.

    Another source said: “Anyim met with some top Presidency officials on why Oduah should be allowed to stay for some months to complete the ongoing reforms in the aviation sector.

    “Some of the officials told Anyim that they could not intervene because the President was committed to his anti-corruption agenda and he had made up his mind to step on toes no matter whose ox is gored. Following the responses, Anyim realised that it was too late in the day to save Oduah.”

    Regarding the three other ministers (Godsday Orubebe, Caleb Olubolade and Yerima Ngama, the source added: “It is only the case of Olubolade that could be linked to governorship pursuit in Ekiti State because the governorship race is still a year ahead in Delta and Yobe states.

    “There are other ministers, like Nyesom Wike, with governorship ambition who are still in the cabinet. So, the President might have sacrificed Orubebe and Ngama for political exigencies.

    Until they arrived for the Federal Executive Council meeting, neither Orubebe nor Ngama was prepared for resignation, a source said, adding: “I am aware that Orubebe has been having a cold war with the President’s political godfather, Chief Edwin Clark. So, he got it tactically wrong in his political Arithmetic.

    “And for Ngama, his days were numbered since the President began a subtle political romance with Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, a former Chief Security Officer to the late ex-Head of State Gen. Sani Abacha. His exit might be part of a new political calculation to win Yobe State with Al-Mustapha as the arrowhead or the political leader in the state.”

    There were indications last night that the exit of the four ministers would lead to more shake-up in the cabinet.

    No fewer than five more ministers might be asked to resign this month, it was learnt.

    The President has security reports on these ministers and their performance assessment records, according to a source, who added: “Do not forget that there is a benchmark which the President is using to assess the ministers”.

    “Even some of the outgoing ministers queried why those with worse performance were still in the cabinet and they were asked to resign.

    “This shake-up will be followed by the swapping of portfolios by some ministers. I think the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, might be redeployed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, is expected to manage the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

    “Also, Wike might be moved to another ministry. There is a recommendation to post Wike to the Ministry of Special Duties where he can have more time for local politics in Rivers State. The Minister of Women Affairs, Zainab Maina, might also be swapped.

    “I think there is a plan to move Minister of Works Mike Onolememen to either Aviation or Housing and Urban Planning. His survival will depend on the disposition of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih.”

  • What next for Oduah, Orubebe, others?

    What next for Oduah, Orubebe, others?

    What will Ms Stella Oduah, Godsday Orubebe, Caleb Olubolade and Yerima Ngama do now that they are out of the Goodluck Jonathan cabinet? Their future is laced with uncertainties,  writes Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU

    No condition is permanent. At the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) last week, the four ministers took their seats. They exchanged banters with their colleagues. They participated in the decision making process . They reiterated their loyalty to President Goodluck Jonathan. They also promised to work harder. However, little did they guess that they would soon stop attending the meeting of the highest decision-making body .

    Yesterday, the hammer fell on the controversial Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, her Police Affairs counterpart, Caleb Olubolade Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godsday Orubebe, and Minister of State for Finance, Yerima Ngama.

    There are many perspectives about the sack. It is doubtful that it was motivated by the need to inject a new blood into the administration. It was a minor cabinet shake-up a selective sack. The move may not meet the popular demand for the removal of certain ministers holding sensitive portfolios. What the public has demanded is a cabinet reshuffle. The demand was premised on the fact that these ministers lack the competence to assist the President in meeting the goals of the transformation agenda.

    Many perceive the sack as a punitive measure, especially for the Aviation minister, who has been swimming in the pool of controversy. Since the bulletproof cars scam was uncovered, her job has been on the line. Although she made spirited attempts to defend her integrity, critics have maintained that the flaws should not be glossed over. The refusal of the President to act decisively created a credibility problem for his administration. The scandal may continue to hunt Oduah for long.

    There are speculations that the three ministers-Orubebe, Olubolade, and Ngama-have divided attention. They have governorship ambition. Their rivals at the home front have not relented in demanding for their removal from office. They alleged that the former ministers were using the presidential muscle and state power to intimidate them. Although the allegation appeared spurious, it is true that the three Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains have been dividing their time between their ministerial responsibilities and governorship aspirations. However, a source said that the real reason for sacking the three politicians from the cabinet is still in the realm of conjecture.

    Orubebe has come under attack for the slow pace of work on the East/West Road. Many think that his ministry has not fought the infrastructure battle adequately in the nine states. But, the church elder has often refuted these claims. His entry into the Delta State governorship race provoked rage among his detractors. Orubebe has also not been able to normalise his strained relations with the acclaimed Ijaw leader, Senator Edwin Clark. The ebullient and fork-tongued old man has not relented in criticising his activities as a minister. Orubebe is a household name in the Southsouth. He is a grassroots operator. He was a councillor, local government chairman, and member of the Delta State Executive Council.

    Olubolade, the former military governor of Bayelsa State, is a governorship aspirant in Ekiti State. When he was retired prematurely from the Navy, he entered politics. His first point of call was the Action Congress (AC). He hurriedly left for the PDP when he failed to get the governorship ticket in 2007. The Ipoti-Ekiti-born retired soldier-turned politician is very close to the President. However, he has not been able to establish himself as the rallying point and arrowhead of the PDP in the state. His exit from the Federal Executive Council will definitely be hailed by other aspirants, especially former Governor Ayo Fayose, Senator Gbenga Aluko, Bisi Omoyeni, Dare Bejide and Dayo Adeyeye. Previously, he had an edge over them as a minister. Now, the feeling will be that a level playing ground has been provided for the governorship contenders. The perception in Ekiti is that a minister has access to state resources, which he can deploy to the detriment of his political rivals.

    As a minister, Olubolade was not in the mould of the political strategist, Dr. Babalola Borisade, former Education Minister and Prof. Tunde Adeniran, scholar and loyal party elder. While chieftains across the three districts defiled to them as ministers, Olubolade has not enjoyed that luxury. During the PDP state congress, his candidates could not make it to the state executive committee of the party. They lost to the candidates fielded by Fayose. The polarised chapter is a mix grill of caucauses, which revolve around three personalities-former Governor Segun Oni, Olubolade, and Fayose. Olubolade’s chance of getting the ticket is slim.

    Ngame is a governorship aspirant in Yobe State. The 53 year-old politician replaced Mr. Remi Babalola as the Minister of State in 2010. It can be said that, since 1999, ministers of state for finance have been operating under the shadow of the supervising ministers. However, in recent times, certain national challenges have brought Ngame to public consciousness. As the Chairman of the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), the lot fell on him to offer explanations to the aggrieved governors and finance commissioners on the sudden drop in revenue earnings. Governors who are finding it difficult pay workers’ salaries rejected the explanation.

    With his exit from the cabinet, he will now be insulated from the monthly burden and embarrassment. He will also have time to pursue his ambition to rule Yobe State. Many observers see his ambition as a tall order. Since 1999, the state has been the stronghold of the progressives. The fact that people like the former Finance Minister, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, are from the state has not changed the political calculus. The APC is waxing stronger in the Northeast state and there is no indication that the PDP can dislodge the party in 2015.

  • Jonathan drops Oduah, Olubolade, Orubebe, Ngana

    Jonathan drops Oduah, Olubolade, Orubebe, Ngana

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday dropped four ministers from his cabinet.

    The ministers are the Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, Minister of State for Finance, Yerima Ngama, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe and Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade.

    Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Jonathan, the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, said the ministers were dropped after they conveyed their decision to pursue political and other interests.

    According to him, the President thanked them for their contributions to the transformation agenda and wished them well in their future endeavour.

    Until substantive ministers are sworn in, he said that the President has directed the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom to take charge of Aviation Ministry, the Minister of State for Niger Delta, Isiaku Darius is to take charge of Niger Delta Ministry, Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will oversee her portfolio in addition to the one vacated by Ngama, while Minister of State FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide will take charge of Police Affairs Ministry.

    He said: “The President announced further changes in the federal executive council. He said a number of ministers have been asked to step out of the federal executive council to pursue or further their own interests, some in politics and others in private focused. But mainly what the President did today was to allow ministers who have indicated interests in pursuing further goals in the polity and in the economy and in the life of the country, to be allowed to go.

    “In announcing the acceptance of their decision to participate further in the polity, the President thanked them very sincerely for the great job they have done in helping the government realise a number of the goals that have been achieved under the transformation agenda. The President believes that they have done so well for the country, they have done so well for this administration. He was generally happy with what they have done, particularly in their various sectors to help the administration realise the goals that we see today in the results that we have arrived at under the transformation programme of the government.

    Olubolade and Orubebe, who were in the chamber when the FEC meeting started, left the villa before the meeting ended.

    While Oduah did not attend the meeting, Ngama only spoke in Hausa language to few journalists.

    Maku also said that the President explained that his former Chief of Staff, Mike Oghiadomhe, was not sacked based on any corrupt malpractices but resigned for political reasons.

     

  • Oduah conjures phantom, intransigent enemies

    Oduah conjures phantom, intransigent enemies

    Responding to President Goodluck Jonathan’s pussyfooting on the bulletproof cars scandal involving her and the Aviation ministry she heads, Stella Oduah has embarked on a frenzy of public relations propaganda to shift the blame away from the scandal to the doorsteps of her ‘enemies.’ It took nearly two weeks after the scandal was exposed before the president set up a panel to look into the disgraceful buck-passing enacted by Ms Oduah after it transpired she had knowingly sanctioned, some said inspired, the purchase of two armoured cars at inflated prices. It took more than two weeks after the panel submitted its report for the president to angrily acknowledge he had received the report. Now it is taking forever for him to do something about the report. Unlike the Justice Ayo Salami case, in which he agreed to suspend the jurist with alacrity, he is in no hurry to lay a finger on the special woman, Ms Oduah.

    After it became clear the president would continue to dither with scant regard for the dignity and nobility that should accompany his office, Ms Oduah opportunistically launched attacks of her own against those she described as her long-standing enemies. The reprisal attacks are coming after many solid weeks of extraordinary lobbying to save Ms Oduah’s job. But if the president couldn’t save Bamanga Tukur’s job, even though his fault was nothing more grievous than serial indiscretions and tactlessness, it is hard to see the president saving Ms Oduah’s job when her failing is obviously one of atrocious disregard for truth, general and particular mischief in aviation matters, and obscene and indifferent embrace of luxury at a time of great national deficit and scarcity.

    But it gratifies and promotes Ms Oduah’s spuriousness to confuse two entirely distinct issues. Only a confused mind could juxtapose the problem she has with her supposed enemies with the self-made scandal of flouting budgetary restrictions and corruptly inflating car prices. Hear Ms Oduah: “For over 38 years that our airports remained damning commentary on our status as part of the civilised world, or when our airspace existed without the modern and workable equipment and facilities to make the airspace safe, these category of persons saw no evil and heard no evil while they happily clapped their way to the banks. This group has carried on with bitter venom, throwing decency and honour overboard, lying and misleading the Nigerian populace even when they knew the truth, because my team and I changed the game in favour of Nigeria attaining her pride of place…They are the entrenched, corrupt and profligate individuals and entities that have caused the serious rot in the aviation sector.”

    Having failed to lather her case with ethnic jostlings, she now refers to the implausible and arbitrary figure of 38 years ago, when both she and her traducers were probably just emerging from their teenage years. Whether Dr Jonathan likes it or not, Ms Oduah’s position is no longer tenable. She will have to go, of course without the honour that should normally accompany a decisive president, or the sense of shame a dignified woman should never lose. Ms Oduah is not plagued by enemies, for she is too insignificant to have any notable one; she is undone by shamelessness, an affliction that is now evidently an integral part of the Nigerian presidency.

  • Oduah’s claims inconsequential, says Bi-Courtney

    Oduah’s claims inconsequential, says Bi-Courtney

    Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operators of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), Lagos, has said the claims by the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, against the company, in an interview in last Tuesday’s edition of Daily Trust, is inconsequential.

    In a statement in Lagos, the company noted that it was unfortunate that Oduah, who was said to be privy to the facts of the agreement between Bi-Courtney and the Federal Government/Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), “could deliberately mislead the public by claiming that there were six versions of the concession agreement between the two parties.”

    The company accused the minister of mischief, insisting that contrary to her claims, there is only one concession agreement.

    Bi-Courtney said the fact was clear to the parties involved and had been affirmed under the relevant laws of the country.

    It said: “The concession agreement between Bi-Courtney and the Federal Government is dated April 24, 2003. Subsequent to this, the parties executed a Supplemental Concession Agreement, dated June 24, 2004, and an Addendum to the Concession Agreement, dated February 2, 2007.

    ‘’The three documents constitute one agreement; they complement each other and are to be read together. All three are genuine and the minister is quite aware of this.”

    The company explained that the decision to extend the concession from 12 to 36 years was taken by both parties.

    Bi-Courtney said FAAN suggested extending the concession to 36 years, to which the company agreed.

    The company said the agreement initially prescribed a 12-year concession period, adding that after the scale of the terminal and facilities to be provided were upgraded, the cost of the project more than quadrupled.

    It said the time prescribed in the concession agreement would be inadequate for Bi-Courtney to re-coup its investment, as guaranteed by Section 7 of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) Act.

    “At this point, both parties appointed separate consultants to evaluate the concession and advice on an appropriate length for the concession period. The consultant nominated by Bi-Courtney recommended 37 years, while the FAAN’s consultant recommended 33 years,” the company said.

    It said FAAN wrote a letter, dated October 12, 2006 to Bi-Courtney by offering a concession period of 36 years, which Bi-Courtney accepted. Both parties prepared and executed the addendum to extend the concession period to 36 years.

    Bi-Courtney added: “It is noteworthy that Article 23 of the original concession agreement contemplates and specifically provides for the amendment and variation of its terms…”

  • Reps’ report seeks review of Oduah’s appointment

    THE House of Representatives has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to review the continued engagement of Ms Stella Oduah as Minister of Aviation.

    This followed her role in the procurement of two BMW armoured vehicles by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

    The lawmakers yesterday, considered and adopted the report of the Committee on Aviation, chaired by Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, which investigated the transaction.

    The minister was indicted by the report, having contravened the Appropriation Act (2013) and the approved revised thresholds by exceeding the ministerial approval limit of N100million.

    Oduah approved N643 million for the purchase of 54 vehicles.

    It recommended that NCAA’s former Acting Managing Director Joyce Nkemakolam and Director of Finance S. Ozigi as well as others found culpable should be investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The report recommended that Coscharis Motors should be probed on the waiver for the importation of the two vehicles while the Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was asked to recover the money paid during the transactions and pay into the Consolidated Revenue Account.

    The report reads: “The two BMW armoured vehicles procured in the process were neither provided for in the Appropriation Act (2013) nor was due process followed in their procurement.

    “The Ministry of Aviation and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) should terminate all transactions and loan agreement entered into with First Bank of Nigeria Plc and contracts awarded thereto.

    “Nkemakolam Joyce and S. Ozigi, former acting director general and director of Finance of the NCAA should be sanctioned in accordance with the Civil Service rules for breaching the Appropriation Act (2013) and other extant laws of the federation.

    “Coscharis Nigeria Limited should be investigated on the issue of waiver, source and exact cost of the two BMW vehicles it supplied to NCAA.

    “Coscharis should be made to pay the value of the waiver into the Federation Account.

    “Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-corruption agencies should probe the discrepancies in the chassis number (DW68032) of the vehicles on the one reported to have been delivered and the one inspected by the committee, and if found wanting, prosecute persons/institutions involved in the transaction.”

    But the minister, in her statement, by her spokesman, Joe Obi, said she rejected the report, describing it as premeditated.

    Reacting to the recommendation, Lagos lawyer Femi Falana said: “The House of Representatives deserves commendation for adopting the report of its Aviation Committee. The reaction of the minister to the report has confirmed that she is not remorseful.

    “The EFCC should conclude its investigation and charge the minister as well as other suspects to court. President Jonathan should sack the minister on the basis of the reports of the House and the administrative panel, which he set up. “

  • Mark seeks professionalism in aviation sector

    Mark seeks professionalism in aviation sector

    Senate President, David Mark, on Friday lamented the incessant mishaps in the aviation sector.

     

    Mark spoke when the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, visited him in company of the newly elected President of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliyu.

    He urged the minister and other stakeholders in the aviation sector to rise up to the challenges in the industry and to ensure that the international standard of operation is complied with.

    He noted the challenges facing the Nigerian Aviation sector but pointed out that they are surmountable.

    He added that professionalism must be brought to bear in order to address the turbulence in the sector and make the industry safe and secured.

    Mark said in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, in Abuja said: “Aviation industry in Nigeria must meet international standard. You cannot lead such a global body if your own house is not good enough. The current turbulence in the aviation industry should not be a permanent feature. It should be resolved as quickly as possible so that we can guarantee safety in the industry.

    “In other climes, they also have challenges, mechanical or otherwise, but they have the capability and capacity to resolve them quickly. This is how it should be and not waiting for months or years to resolve them.”

    He specifically charged Aliyu to demonstrate leadership and represent Nigeria creditably because whatever “you do positively or negatively would ultimately affect the nation.”