25th November, 2013
President Goodluck Jonathan’s silence on the corruption scandal involving Stella Oduah, Nigeria’s embattled Minister of Aviation, is not only dangerous, it is preposterous. The President’s inaction may set a terribly bad precedent in the fight against corruption and corrupt officials in the country.
Jonathan admitted on Sunday on his arrival from London that he had received the report of a three-man committee he set up to investigate the purchase of two BMW cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority at the hefty sum of N255 million. The purchase of the cars was approved by Oduah allegedly for her personal use.
The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation had earlier made public its findings on the controversial purchase. Oduah had testified before the Committee members on 31 October following allegations that the NCAA bought the two BMW cars for her personal use. She denied all the allegations and put all blames on others.
But documents tendered during the Committee hearing showed that she had approved the purchase of the expensive cars that were not budgeted for and that were far beyond her ministerial approval limit of N100 million.
The lawmakers also established that the cars were highly inflated.
The House of Representatives eventually indicted Oduah and recommended her sack and prosecution.
Anti-corruption crusaders, prominent Nigerians and politicians have also called on Jonathan to sack Oduah to show his seriousness in the fight against corruption.
But the President has remained silent since both reports were submitted.
We believe that his silence is a setback to the fight against corruption and corrupt officials. It is not the right. Now that he had admitted receiving the report, it is our hope that he will act on it and save the country further embarassment.
We believe that Oduah’s case is a clear example of abuse of office and corruption by public office holders.
The President must break his silence and do the right thing by removing Oduah from office and replacing her with a person of integrity who can move the troubled industry forward.
Corruption is dangerous for our country and it should not be condoned by anyone, especially the President. Corrupt public officials who are caught should be dealt with to deter others.
This is the right way for Nigeria and President Jonathan must understand it and do the needful.
President Goodluck Jonathan’s silence on the corruption scandal involving Stella Oduah, Nigeria’s embattled Minister of Aviation, is not only dangerous, it is preposterous. The President’s inaction may set a terribly bad precedent in the fight against corruption and corrupt officials in the country.
Jonathan admitted on Sunday on his arrival from London that he had received the report of a three-man committee he set up to investigate the purchase of two BMW cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority at the hefty sum of N255 million. The purchase of the cars was approved by Oduah allegedly for her personal use.
The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation had earlier made public its findings on the controversial purchase. Oduah had testified before the Committee members on 31 October following allegations that the NCAA bought the two BMW cars for her personal use. She denied all the allegations and put all blames on others.
But documents tendered during the Committee hearing showed that she had approved the purchase of the expensive cars that were not budgeted for and that were far beyond her ministerial approval limit of N100 million.
The lawmakers also established that the cars were highly inflated.
The House of Representatives eventually indicted Oduah and recommended her sack and prosecution.
Anti-corruption crusaders, prominent Nigerians and politicians have also called on Jonathan to sack Oduah to show his seriousness in the fight against corruption.
But the President has remained silent since both reports were submitted.
We believe that his silence is a setback to the fight against corruption and corrupt officials. It is not the right. Now that he had admitted receiving the report, it is our hope that he will act on it and save the country further embarassment.
We believe that Oduah’s case is a clear example of abuse of office and corruption by public office holders.
The President must break his silence and do the right thing by removing Oduah from office and replacing her with a person of integrity who can move the troubled industry forward.
Corruption is dangerous for our country and it should not be condoned by anyone, especially the President. Corrupt public officials who are caught should be dealt with to deter others.
This is the right way for Nigeria and President Jonathan must understand it and do the needful.