Embattled Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella
Oduah, has left Nigeria for Israel despite the
furore generated by the controversial
purchase of N225 million bullet-proof vehicles
for her by the Nigerian Civil Aviation
Authority, NCAA.
Competent sources told Vanguard that the
beleagued minister is reported to have
summoned courage and flew to Israel of on
Tuesday a day ahead of President Jonathan’s
visit to the country, where he is expected to
perform some spiritual rites and engage in
some bilateral deals.
Oduah, who has already been subpoenaed by
the two chambers of the National Assembly to
appear and answer questions on her role in
the purchase of the cars, will also come under the searchlight of the special
probe panel raised by President Gooodluck Jonathan.
The three-man Presidential team that will grill the minister is made up of the
immediate past Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Isa Sali Bello, the
National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dakusi (rtd) and AVM Dick
Iruenebere (rtd).
Vanguard learnt that the decision by the minister to travel to Israel in the midst
of the car con was to reduce the tension generated by the negative development
and to give her some time off to pray to God while in the Holy Land.
But there were doubts in the Presidency last night as to whether the minister
would be part of the Presidential team to seal the Bilateral Air Services
Agreement, BASA, with Israel in Tel Aviv given the negative publicity the car
deal had given the country since it broke out last week.
But sources close to the minister said that she was not bothered about the
development, as she was said to have received assurance from influential
persons close to the Presidency that she would not be dropped because of her
political worth to the system.
A source close to the Presidency told Vanguard that the decision to query Oduah
and eventually raise the panel to probe her did not come easy, as top Peoples
Democratic Party members and some aides of the President prevailed on him not
to do anything against the minister, given the role she played in the election of
Mr. President.
It was learnt that after a heated debate, the President bowed to some of his
aides, who reasoned that not taking any disciplinary action against the minister
would send the wrong message to the world that the President was condoning
corruption.
Some of the aides were said to have impressed upon Jonathan the need to act
fast in taking action to assuage doubting Nigerians about his avowed war
against corruption and to send a strong message to others in the system who
might engage in similar acts.
A source said, “The President finally agreed to set up the panel to probe Oduah
after some powerful elements in the PDP BoT and the party tried in vain to
dissuade him from taking any disciplinary action against the minister.
“The argument of the minister’s protagonists is that she is a star performer, who
has changed the aviation landscape in Nigeria and has been very useful to the
party and the President, as the leader of the Neighbour-to Neighbour group that
has been mobilising for the President during elections.
The minister is said to have also split her colleagues who are also divided on
what should be done to her following the car deal imbroglio.
Sources said many ministers, who are apparently fed up with Oduah’s excesses,
are pushing for serious action against her while those in her support think
otherwise, blaming political enemies for her ordeal.
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