Professor Dora Nkem Akunyili may be named new Aviation Minister according to unconfirmed sources in Abuja Monday.

If appointed, Akunyili will replace Stella Oduah, the embattled minister of aviation who has been accused of purchasing two armoured vehicles at inflated price of N255 million.

The President is being rumoured to be under pressure to sack the current minister. But the fact that the minister is believed to be one of the President's strongest supporters and mobilisers and one of the best performing cabinet members, leaves the President in dilemma.

Both Oduah and Akunyili are from Anambra State. But Akunyili, who was former Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is believed to be a better reformer and will be able to pull through the President's transformation of the aviation sector.

Born July 14, 1954 in Makurdi, Benue State, Akunyili is a pharmacologist. Her honesty and integrity while serving as council member South East on the Muhammadu Buhari-led Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) fetched her the sensitive job at NAFDAC. She went on to gain international recognition and won hundreds of awards for her work in pharmacology, public health and human rights.

A former reputable academic, Akunyili's foray into politics has taken a steady course and she narrowly lost the Senatorial slot for Anambra Central on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) platform in April 2011 to medical doctor Chris Ngige of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) now All Progressive Congress (APC).

Akunyili's bond with Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State and the fact that he was the courageous cabinet minister in the Ministry of Information who blew the lid on the existence of a 'cabal' in the late President Umar Yar'Adu's government blocking President Jonathan's ascension as substantive President.

If President Jonathan finally decides to ease out Oduah as aviation minister and the government and stakeholders finally narrow down on Akunyili to fill the Anambra ministerial slot, she will be making her return to government under three different Presidents.

As a stickler for scientific details and passionate regulator, if posted to the aviation ministry, can Dora restore standards of aircrafts and enforce rules for operators- two things that are still lacking in that sector despite the marvelous aesthetic and expansion projects there?
Until we confirm this line...

Where is the sauce? I need some ketchup and mayonaise
If Akunyili is appointed, I reckon that will be good news ,may be we can have just one performer in Jona's govt rather than window dressers using substandard renovation to embezzle funds.

Fingers crossed!

Sack Oduah now!!!

Dora's not a bad replacement but the problem is it's not her area of 'Specialization'. That she excelled in Nafdac should not be a yardstick to push her to a department she knows little or nothing about.

INNO18: Dora's not a bad replacement but the problem is it's not her area of 'Specialization'. That she excelled in Nafdac isnt a yardstick to push her to a dept she knows little or nothing about.

Who do u suggest?

INNO18: Dora's not a bad replacement but the problem is it's not her area of 'Specialization'. That she excelled in Nafdac isnt a yardstick to push her to a dept she knows little or nothing about.

Does it matter if it is not her area of specialization? She also did well as a minister of information which isn't her AOS. Why wouldn't she do well as a minister of aviation? I prefer Dora Akunyili a billion times to Stella Oduah. Jonathan did a big mistake not putting a competent and hardworking Dora as minister.

Op who said dora is a pharmacologist?u beta get ut facts right no wonder ur story has no sorce yeye op storyteller

peleson:
Who do u suggest?

I never ruled her out completely, i think she's better of the lots but definitely not the best.

Akunyili would be a great choice..
To you who are saying Aviation sector is not her area of specialization, I'd tell you she would be better than the person who claims to be specialized on the aviation sector.

Can you campare her to Labaran as a minister of Information??

They want to change strategy now because the previous ones are not working.they have now gone to the extent of suggesting replacement.if you guys like,suggest names of all the many great Igbo women from time immemorial,stella is going nowhere,she remains aviation minister till 2019.

INNO18: I never ruled her out completely, i think she's better of the lots but definitely not the best.

This is pathetic!! Shameless lots. Stella Oduah dey kampe till Jonathan leaves. If you like name all igbos as the new ministers of aviation, Stella is going nowhere!!! Fools!

chima12: They want to change strategy now because the previous ones are not working.they have now gone to the extent of suggesting replacement.if you guys like,suggest names of all the many great Igbo women from time immemorial,stella is going nowhere,she remains aviation minister till 2019.

if that makes u happy i have no objections.

xarxes: Op who said dora is a pharmacologist?u beta get ut facts right no wonder ur story has no sorce yeye op storyteller

don't mind him. People will just sit down and pen down their fleeting imaginations and label it substance.

donphilopus: Akunyili would be a great choice..
To you who are saying Aviation sector is not her area of specialization, I'd tell you she would be better than the person who claims to be specialized on the aviation sector.

Can you campare her to Labaran as a minister of Information??

No vacancy in ministry of aviation. maybe Dora Akunyili should replace the Yoruba man sacked from ministry of foreign affairs

FreeGlobe:
No vacancy in ministry of aviation. maybe Dora Akunyili should replace the Yoruba man sacked from ministry of foreign affairs

Until this finally happens, before you'll know what we're talking about www.nairaland.com/1487429/jonathan-finally-agrees-sack-stella

You can allow them to play you into having a supposedly sane discussion,that's your own business.when dining with some people,you need to use a very long spoon.

INNO18: if that makes u happy i have no objections.

donphilopus: Until this finally happens, before you'll know what we're talking about www.nairaland.com/1487429/jonathan-finally-agrees-sack-stella

Goodluck with wait bro,

FreeGlobe:
Goodluck with wait bro,

Have you confirmed the #Hot Air??

Kponkwem:

The President is being rumoured to be under pressure to sack the current minister. But the fact that the minister is believed to be one of the President's strongest supporters and mobilisers and one of the best performing cabinet members, leaves the President in dilemma.

Wow! if she is one his best performing bed ministers then I wonder what to call his cabinet - definitely not kitchen but more like PIDGEON CABINET. SMH

Dora go make sense given her antecedents in govt

That would not be a bad idea. But, has Dora returned to PDP? I know she decamped to APGA to contest for the Senatorial election in Anambra state, and I think party loyalty would be a determinant Factor before any appointments would be made. Who even says that Ms Oduah would be sacked? The worse that can be done to her is redeployment to a different ministry.

Bye Bye Stella!!

But she voluntarily resigned from Jonathan's government in 2010. Hope she wont repeat it this time around. If given the job, I see her bringing back the reformative days of NAFDAC into aviation ministry.

peleson:
Who do u suggest?

Me of-course

The way govt appoints people, you would think the population of Nigeria is less than 1mill. What's up with the recycling? How about a past Director or Perm Sec from the ministry?

I personally don't think Dora is fit for this job, maybe something else like power or something but not Aviation, i mean thats not her field of study, there are a million and one people out there that would probably be better than Stella at this kind of positioon

Prof Corruption: Sack Oduah now!!!

oya go sack am na!
omo ale.

FreeGlobe: This is pathetic!! Shameless lots. Stella Oduah dey kampe till Jonathan leaves. If you like name all igbos as the new ministers of aviation, Stella is going nowhere!!! Fools!

What is wrong with you?
Is she paying your school fees or sponsoring your husband?
A minister spending so much money on cars the president himself is not driving, you say she should stay. Infact, you are evil. Aje!

To be a minister does not mean you should be in the field. Its managerial prowess that matters. Is she going there to repair planes? Some managers of engineering companies are not engineers but still do well their posts. So, if she can manage the aviation sector well, let her be the next the aviation minister! Shikena!