Madam Stella Oduah Placed On Tactical Suspension As News Of Another Car Scandal Costing 120 Million Linked To Her

Punch Reports 
President Goodluck Jonathan may have placed the embattled Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, on  “tactical suspension,” findings by The PUNCH have revealed. A reliable Presidency source   said Jonathan decided on the  “tactical suspension,” hours before the signing of the Bilateral Air Service  Agreement between Nigeria and Israel on Monday. Our source explained that  it was the ‘tactical suspension’ that made Jonathan to direct the Minister of  State (1) for Foreign Affairs , Prof. Viola Onwuliri, to sign the  agreement instead of  Oduah. When asked by one of our correspondents what ‘tactical suspension’ meant, he   said, “Oduah will not be allowed to attend public functions that will have the President in attendance until the three-member  committee  set up to investigate the matter turns in its report.” The source, who said he did not know whether the “tactical suspension” order had  been formally communicated to the minister,  stated that  the step became necessary in order to dissuade Nigerians who hold the opinion that the President  was  shielding  Oduah.

Meanwhile the embattled Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, has been linked to    another car purchase scandal. This time, Oduah is said to have also approved the procurement  of two Lexus Limousine cars and two Toyota Prado jeeps. The minister  is expected to appear before the House Committee on Aviation which is investigating the purchase of two  BMW bulletproof  cars for her by the Nigerian Civil  Aviation Authority at N255m.  But during the sitting by the Senate Committee on Aviation which is probing the crisis in the Aviation industry, the   Managing  Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria , Mr. George Uriesi,  said the  Lexus Limousine cars and Toyota Prado jeeps were in the custody of a bank. Uriesi, who   said the limousines were bought  for  N60m each , added that  he did not have details of the cost of the Prado jeeps. He explained that the bank whose name he did not give,    funded the purchase of the four vehicles. The FAAN  chief told the six-member committee that  while Oduah gave the approval, somebody whose  name  he failed to mention, signed on his (Uriesi) behalf. An obviously enraged Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Mr. Hope Uzodinma, lambasted  him  for receiving approval from the minister instead of the Federal Executive Council.  He was therefore ordered to  appear again before the committee on Monday with details of the transactions. Uriesi, who was  said to have   sweated  in the air-conditioned room while the session lasted, was   also asked to bring along with him,  details of other vehicles   bought for  the agency’s  directors. The  Senate  panel also resolved to  inspect the N255m bulletproof cars parked at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Embattled Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, broke her seven-day silence on social media on Tuesday, amidst backlash over the N255m bulletproof cars bought for her by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. In a post on Twitter and Facebook, Oduah took credit for the signing of the much-publicised Bilateral Air Services Agreement with Israel. Tactical suspension keh abi she should be relieved of her job. This new revealation is a slap on all our faces.
Punch Online