Oduah gate: Presidency is unhappy that Aviation Minister’s Defense Was Made Public
Indication have emerged that the Presidency is angry with the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, for the leakage of her explanation of the car purchase to the media before the President got his copy.
Oduah in her explanation claimed that she committed no crime in the matter that had attracted public outcry forcing President Goodluck Jonathan to constitute a three-man panel to probe her.
Jonathan was in Israel for the ongoing Christian pilgrimage when the minister’s response was published.
The Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Mr. Ahmed Gulak was reported to have said that Oduah should have kept silent and allowed the panel set up by the President to carry out its assignment.
“If I were her (the minister), I would be silent until the committee set up by the President to probe the matter finishes its job,” he said.
When asked specifically if it was true that the Presidency was not happy with the minister for allowing her response go public, he replied, “That was why I told you that if I was in her shoes, I would have kept quiet and allowed the committee do its job.”
Following Ms. Oduah’s claim that she got death threat, an investigation has shown that the Nigerian Police have no record of any complaint about threat to the life of the minister.
The minister had claimed in her defense that she authorised the purchase of the two armoured cars on account of threat to her life because of the reforms she was carrying out in the aviation sector. However, findings indicated that no formal report about the alleged threat was lodged with the police.
Police sources said that the Force would have taken such a matter seriously, if Oduah had lodged a report about threats to her life.
“The minister reportedly said her life was under threat, but she didn’t lodge any complaint to the police; we can’t find anything in our record about the reported threat; there was no petition or complaint that we could have worked with, if indeed her life was under threat as she claimed,” a senior police officer who pleaded anonymity stated.
Further findings showed that none of the ministers had requested additional protection or additional personnel from security agencies in the past months.
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, have requested NCAA officials to tender documents of the BMW cars purchased before it.
Oduah, who has been under public criticism for the cars, on Wednesday departed for Israel where the President is also observing pilgrimage. There have been reports that her Israel trip was an attempt by the minister to lobby Jonathan to retain her job.
The Presidency had, however, said Oduah was in Israel to sign a bilateral services agreement on behalf of Nigeria with Israel.
