Nigeria’s embattled Minister of Aviation, Princess
Stella Oduah, has kept a low profile in Israel
where she is with President Goodluck Jonathan on
an official visit, sources from the Jewish state said
on Friday.
Oduah, who is under probe over the purchase of
two BMW bullet-proof cars at the outrageous sum
of N255 million for her by the Nigerian Civil
Aviation Authority, NCAA, withdrew to the
background and out of sight in Israel on
Thursday.
Unlike at previous public functions with the
president where she featured prominently, Oduah
kept to herself and avoided any form of publicity
in Israel.
That was why she did not appear in most of the
photographs of Nigeria’s delegation to Israel
published on the front pages of leading national
dailies on Friday.
Critics have said President Jonathan, after
issuing a query to Oduah over the
monumental financial scam rocking her
ministry, shouldn’t have allowed her to be
part of his delegation in Israel.
Oduah also angered members of the
House of Representatives Committee on
Aviation when she failed to show up on
Thursday at a public hearing even after an
invitation had been extended to her. The
lawmakers said she must appear
unfailingly before them on 29 October.
At the public hearing, the NCAA disclosed
for the first time that the Ministry of
Aviation duly approved the controversial
purchase of the N255 million bullet-proof
cars for Oduah.
The Director of Aerodrome at the NCAA,
Joyce Daniel Nkem-Akonam, who was also
the acting Director General of the agency
when the transaction was done, said the
ministry approved the car purchase.
He attempted to defend the purchase by
telling members of the committee that
since “leasing financing, not direct
financing was adopted to procure the vehicles,”
the agency breached no law.
But the Bureau for Public Procurement faulted
him and said the purchase of the cars did not
follow due process.
Ayo Aderigbigbe, who represented BPP Director
General, told the committee that no ministry had
powers to approve any expenditure above N100
million like in the bullet-proof vehicles case.
“A ministerial tenders board can approve
expenditure of N100 million and below, but if it is
above N100 million, it must go before the Federal
Executive Council,” Aderigbigbe said.
He said the BPP was never contacted by the NCAA
over the car purchase.
Fola Akinkuotu, NCAA Director General, who had
at a press conference tried to justify the car
purchase, told the committee members that he
was not in charge when the controversial
transaction was completed and did not have
enough information.
He said he assumed duties on 14 August, after
the deal was sealed.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC,
and the Transition Monitoring Group have called
on those investigating the matter to get to its
root and punish all the culprits.
APC said it was shocked that it could be blamed
for the public outrage following the scandal
rocking Oduah’s ministry.
The spokesperson of the Federal Airports
Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Yakubu Dati, had
blamed the APC for Oduah’s troubles.
But Lai Mohammed, APC Interim National Publicity
Secretary, said Dati tried unsuccessfully to “play
on President Goodluck Jonathan’s insecurity as far
as 2015 elections are concerned.
“This is very insulting not only to Nigerians but
also to the President himself, and it will not sell,”
he said.

www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/10/25/stella-oduah-lies-low-in-israel/

At the bolded, I saw it coming! Not surprised though. Finding whom to blame is not the best way to proffer solution to a problem. Definitely not!

Its a wise decision

OduahGate ..........
Eiyah, this woman already fallen into the Trap, Her sh.it caught-up with her !!!


IDK why some NLanders think the fact that she travelled Isreal with President implied all is well, She is still our Minister of Aviation and the damn BASA with Isreal must be completed , when she lands, she is gonna face the music here ...

Our source with first name ketchup very close to Jewish state media also confided in us that the embattled minister stayed too long in the airport toilet.

The surest way to cover any gross misdemeanor is to gang it on APC in front of GEJ and it will sell....

But Nigerians will surely force GEJ to do the right thing by shedding this Oduah baggage hanging on his administration's credibility..

Welcome Development!!