President Jonathan Under Pressure To Sack Aviation Minister Stella Oduah

Who wouldn't ask for the removal of a woman who has lavished $1.6m (N255m) for two bulletproof vehicles? when Universities in Nigeria has been on strike for the past months over issue of money to be paid. As if a bulletproof car was the main priority to our present situation in the country. What about the poor masses without house, food, clothes? What about the crisis of security issues in the country?. This is becoming too pathetic, when can we ever have a free and fair government in the country?

According to Sunday Punch report on Friday

The president’s associates have told him to remove Oduah to save the reputation of his administration. “She has to go. We have told the President that. This disgrace is too much,” one of the president’s close associates told one of our correspondents.

The NCAA on Friday said the cars were in its possession and are used to “convey the minister and visiting foreign dignitaries.” (lame excuse) .This contradicted the statement of the minister’s aide, Mr. Joel Obi. who had earlier admitted that the cars were purchased because Oduah’s life was in danger.

Following the development, civil society groups, on Friday, called on President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately sack and order the prosecution of Oduah. Leaders of the Civil Liberties Organisation, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders and Campaign for Democracy, who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH in separate interviews, said the minister’s acceptance of the cars, amounted to receiving a bribe to neglect her duty, leading to the loss of lives in plane crashes that had occurred during her tenure.

The Executive Director of CLO, Mr. Ibuchukwu Ezike, described the minister’s action as evidence of the level to which impunity had grown among public officers because of the Federal Government’s inability to fight corruption. Ezike demanded that Oduah be sacked and prosecuted He said, “If this happened in climes where laws are obeyed; where the credibility of processes is respected, such public officer is sacked and prosecuted.   

We believe that what has happened is enough reason for the minister, not only to be removed, but to be prosecuted. “But these things happen and nothing is done.  

That is why we have been saying that the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not interested in fighting corruption.” Similarly, the Executive Director of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said Oduah and her accomplices should be sacked and prosecuted for corruption and negligence of duty. He said, “Not only should Oduah be sacked, she and her accomplices should be promptly arrested, investigated, prosecuted and actually punished for such heinous crime.  

What she did is like taking a bribe from NCAA, which means she will no longer be able to maintain standard in aviation sector. And when standards are not maintained, all you get is that ordinary Nigerians are killed in plane crashes. “The woman (Oduah) should be prosecuted, not only for corruption, but also for gross negligence, which led to the NCAA not taking adequate precautionary measures on the flights that have crashed during her tenure, killing about 300 people.” Also, the President of CD, Joe Okei-Odumakin, demanded that the bulletproof car scandal be thoroughly investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Okei-Odumakin said in order to stem impunity in the system, the minister should be sacked, prosecuted and punished.  

She said, “We have been following the developments in the aviation sector, but with this colossal waste of public funds and the arrogance with which the explanation was given, we ask that Oduah should step aside. “We want to use this opportunity to call on the EFCC to thoroughly investigate the scam and ensure that all those who are involved in purchasing the vehicles and the minister herself are prosecuted.”.