Personality Focus

The corruption allegations hovering over the Minister for Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, in a twist of irony, may have afforded President Goodluck Jonathan, a practical opportunity to show Nigerians, through his handling of the matter, what he means by tolerable corruption, writes Ojo M. Maduekwe

Reflecting on President Jonathan’s postulation about tolerable corruption during his last presidential media chat with journalists and placing same side-by-side with the corruption allegations against the Minister for Aviation, Stella Oduah, the picture that comes to mind is former President Olusegun Obasanjo reclining in a chair in the comfort of his Otta home, with a THISDAY newspaper covered to his face, while he burst out to the hearing of his domestic aides as they go about their morning duties, saying: “I dey laugh o.”

Life, many will agree, is full of irony. No sooner had a man made a statement, exuding doggedness, than a situation presented itself as test to either remain steadfast or take back his words. President Jonathan is currently caught in a dilemma to either stand by his position or take back his words on the fight against graft. From his earlier reactions over the public outcry on the corruption allegation against Oduah, it seems obvious where the president stands – perhaps on Oduah’s side.

During the presidential media chat earlier in the month, President Jonathan had argued that the corruption situation in Nigeria was not as bad as it was being portrayed globally. According to him, the fact remained that his government was not just winning the war against corruption; the perception of Nigerians towards corruption was being exaggerated, no thanks to the continuous and bad media exposure in conjunction with their allies in the civil society organisations.

As far as the president was concerned, corruption in the country was still at a ‘tolerable level’, despite the myriad of corruption allegations against government officials. Of course, the media and civil society whom he blamed for exaggeration did not waste time in condemning his position on a scourge that has been linked to the high poverty level, unemployment and infrastructure deficit in the country.

President Jonathan is back on the hot seat. As is now becoming a tradition of his administration through exhibiting a callous attitude regarding matters that affect the people, the president is being crucified for seemingly shielding Oduah, who has refused to resign her position, following the revelation that she compelled the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to finance from their account, two armoured BMW 760 Li vehicles to the tune of N255 million.

Although Jonathan has set up an investigative panel with a clear mandate, Oduah’s problem did not however start with the overpriced vehicles. It began with her comment regarding the ill-fated Associated Airline’s plane crash as ‘an act of God.’ In what was considered one of the most thoughtless remarks from a political office holder, the Minister of Aviation had suggested that there was nothing Nigerians could have done about the plane crash transporting the corpse of former Ondo state governor, Olusegun Agagu, for burial, along with 20 other passengers.

For a plane crash that claimed about 16 lives, Oduah’s comment sparked outrage among the citizens. Reactions trailed her comment from various quarters. From the preliminary report released days after the crash by the Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIPB), which revealed that the crash may have been caused by engine failure and human error, it was evident that the Minister whom should have known better, had jumped the gun.

Just when Oduah thought the dust was about settling, the news of her flamboyant toy cars worth $1.6 million went viral. After the initial denials typical of politicians, the Minister, through her Special Assistant on Media, Joe Obi, explained that both vehicles were bought to protect Oduah, whom in the course of carrying out her duties, has come under threats.

“Yes, it is true that some security vehicles were procured for the use of the office of the honourable minister in response to the clear and imminent threat to her personal security and life following the bold steps she took to reposition the sector.

“It should be noted that these vehicles are not personal vehicles and were not procured in the name of the honourable minister; they are utility vehicles and are for the office of the minister, and if she leaves the office, she will not be taking the vehicles along with her,” the statement stated in part.

According to Obi, his boss’ life was being threatened by some vested interests in the Aviation sector, whose pot of soup, his boss had snatched from them. “When she came on board as the minister, she inherited a lot of baggage in terms of the concession and lease agreements in the sector, which were clearly not in the interest of the government and people of Nigeria.

“And so, she took bold steps and some of these agreements were reviewed and some were terminated, and these moves disturbed some entrenched interests in the sector, and within this period, she began to receive some imminent threats to her life; therefore, the need for the vehicles.”

This explanation nonetheless, what the generality of Nigerians were bitter about was not that the Minister who attributed plane crashes to being an act of God, couldn’t lead by example and place her being alive at the mercy of God as against a bulletproof car. What angered the people was that the vehicles were alleged to have been purchased twice their original price. And then, she lied about it at the break of the news.

After various public rage calling for her resignation or sack, the president according to media reports responded. First, it is alleged that in a memo tagged ‘Restricted’, Jonathan had asked the minister to explain in details, the role that she played in the purchase of the vehicle, the report of which would contain the cost, procurement processes and other issues relating to the transaction.

The second move by the president was the setting up of a three-man panel to investigate the corruption allegations against Oduah and report back to him within two weeks. Briefing state house correspondents after the council meeting the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said the three-man panel will be headed by a former Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Sali Isa Bello, while the National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki and Air Vice Marshal Dick Iruenavere (Rtd.) would serve as members respectively. According to the president, nobody would be exempted from the inquiry and that appropriate action would be taken against anybody found culpable.

While President Jonathan was still foot-dragging on the matter, the House of Representatives and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had swooped into action to ascertain the true nature of the allegation and the minister’s role.

THISDAY gathered that the House had on Tuesday ordered an investigation into the matter. The House gave the order after debating the issue following a motion moved by the Minority Whip, Honourable Samson Osagie. At the debate, the purchase was described as illegal, on the grounds that there was no provision in the 2013 budget for the procurement.

Also, the EFCC may have decided to probe the deal despite allegation of protection by the presidency. THISDAY’s sources hinted that the anti-graft agency had started making preliminary investigations into the contract and could start probing the exorbitant purchase of the cars that was believed to have bypassed due process. Given Oduah’s ties with the presidency and the pivotal role she played in Jonathan’s electoral victory in 2011 (and the role she is to likely play in 2015), it may be difficult for the EFCC to make any meaningful impact.

Now, back to Otta, where Baba continues to laugh at poor Jonathan, the former president, himself a master of satire, is one of the anti-Jonathan oppositions, along with the G-7 governors and the entire new PDP (if it still exists), not to mention the All Progressives Congress (APC), would most likely view the awkward position President Jonathan finds himself as somewhat amusing.

In the coming days, if not weeks, they, along with all of Nigeria, would be paying rapt attention to see how the president would wriggle his way out of the Oduah crisis. The gospel according to Saint Goodluck Jonathan has always been that his administration has zero tolerance for corruption. The Oduah saga would prove a test case. After all, in far away Italy, former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, has just been ordered to stand trial for allegedly bribing a senator. Let President Jonathan take the lead.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/oduah-s-tolerable-corruption/162566/

Look who's talking. . . .writing 2 ?

Nigeria. . . the COMEDY OF PRE-HISTORIC ERRORS!

What you people do not understand is that the life of the minister is more important than the lives of common Nigerians. What the hell? She is a damn minister and she deserves an armored Beemer, budgeted for or not, who cares? She is also an Igbo who must be protected by all means from her imaginary enemies from the Yoruba race nah. As for Jonathan, he would do what he has always been doing concerning corruption. And at the end non of you would be surprised and life goes on. It is an act of God, or no be so. May God punish the enemies of Nigerians from first Generation to infinity generation.