13th February, 2014
Oluokun Ayorinde/Abuja & Simon Ateba
Stakeholders in the aviation industry have applauded the sack of controversial Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah. She and three other ministers were shown the way out of President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet on Wednesday.
The other ministers are Elder Godsday Orubebe, the Minister of the Niger Delta, Caleb Olubolade, the Minister of Police Affairs and Yerima Ngama, the Minister of State For Finance. They were, however, said to have resigned to pursue their political ambition in their various states.
According to Captain Dele Ore, President Aviation Round Table, ART, President Jonathan took the right decision on Oduah.
“The President and Commander-In-Chief is on track as far as aviation is concerned. I congratulate him and I congratulate the industry,” Ore said.
To Mohammed Tukur, former Assistant Secretary General Airlines’ Operators of Nigeria, AON, Oduah has destroyed the industry and Nigerians are happy about her sack.
“Nigerians are happy and I am happy. She has destroyed the industry and I am calling on all stakeholders to come together and rebuild it. I am also calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to give us someone who is credible,” Tukur said.
According to Debo Adeniran, Chairman Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, Oduah’s sack is a welcome development.
“It is good riddance to bad rubbish and it is a good development. We are happy. And a complete overhaul of the Jonathan administration is needed,” Adeniran said.
Oduah had been involved in alleged corruption and certificate racketeering scandal. The House of Representatives Committee on Aviation had late last year recommended the review of the appointment of the Minister over allegations of lack of due process in the procurement of two BMW bullet proof cars at inflated cost for her by an agency under her ministry.
The car scandal had not died down when the certificate forgery scandal surfaced.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government said the four ministers who resigned their appointment on Wednesday left to pursue other interests.
Labaran Maku, the Minister of Information who said this while briefing journalists after the meeting of the Federal Executive Council also announced the names of supervisory ministers of the ministries the former ministers were in charge of.
The three ministers are said to be interested in contesting for the governorship positions in their home states of Delta, Ekiti, and Yobe respectively.
“The ministers had indicated their interest to pursue other goals in the country and so President Goodluck Jonathan asked them to go,” Maku told journalists.
The Information Minister added that President Jonathan thanked the departing ministers for assisting in the realisation of government’s transformation agenda.
Maku also said that the former Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Mike Oghiadomeh, contrary to the reports in the social media, resigned to go and pursue his interest in politics.
Maku also said the resignation of Chief Mike Oghiadomeh as the President’s Chief of Staff on Tuesday had nothing to do with the investigations going on in the NNPC.
With the development, Maku said the Minister of State for Trade and Investments, Mr Samuel Ortom, will take charge of the Ministry of Aviation pending the appointment of a new minister, while Mr Darius Isiaku takes over as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
Also, the Minister of State for the FCT, Miss Olajumoke Akinjide, will supervise the Ministry of Police Affairs.