dbride:



You were asked a question....why don't you want Stella replaced by another intelligent and upright Igbo man/woman?.....and the trash above is your reply? With every reply, you sink deeper into that deep black sea of confusion mixed with stupidity and depravity. He who supports evil never knows how deep he has sunken and how empty he sounds. Keep doing what you know how to do best, we are on parallel lines, we shall see what we all eventually become yet we shall never meet.

My stance on this issue have absolutely nothing t do with tribe. Unsubstantiated stupid allegations of vehicular presents to a serving minister by three different parastatals under her ministry is absolute hogwash to me. Stop reasoning from your an*s. I know those behind the campaign to pull her down and they will surely not succeed b/c the president knows why they want her out the way.

Even as the minister of aviation began
a new spin today that the BMW
armored cars purchased by the
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority
(NCAA) for her use were done on "hire-
purchase", SaharaReporters has
unearthed new details about the $1.6
million spent by the Nigerian Civil
Aviation Authority to purchase the
armored BMW cars for Nigeria's
Aviation Minister Stella Oduah.
A highly reliable source has told
SaharaReporters that the shady deal
for the car was done entirely between
Coscharis Motors Limited, a dealership
from which the cars were purchased,
one of Ms. Oduah’s private firms based
in Abuja, and First Bank of Nigeria.
SaharaReporters had revealed the
account number at the First Bank into
which the monies were paid on behalf
of the NCAA.
“The NCAA was not even aware of the
deal until the minister told them to sign
that they had received two BMW cars,”
said our source.
After inking the deal, Coscharis Motors,
sellers of the highly inflated
automobiles, reportedly gave the
Aviation Minister more than N112
million as kickbacks. Our source added
that Cosmas Maduka, who owns
Coscharis Motors, pocked N60 million
for each of the two BMW cars.
An official at the NCAA corroborated
the information that the agency was
largely kept in the dark about the
transaction. “We were never privy to the
transaction and had not seen the cars
even though our head of transport was
made to sign the delivery note,” said
the source. The agency is under the
Ministry of Aviation.
The source added that the agency has
still not seen the cars even after the
scandal escalated. SaharaReporters
was first to break the news that Ms.
Oduah compelled a cash-strapped
NCAA to pay for two extravagantly
priced bullet-proof BMWs for her
personal use. After initially denying our
reports, the minister’s spokesman, Joe
Obi, admitted that the transaction
transpired. Mr. Obi alleged that the
purchase was justified because of
unspecified threats to the minister’s life.
Neither Mr. Obi nor the minister has
provided proof of any threats to Ms.
Oduah. The minister has not addressed
why the NCAA paid a price tag that
auto dealers in the US and the UK
described as a rip-off. US dealers said
that each of the BMW cars should cost
no more than $$167,000.
Last week, an official of the NCAA,
Fola Akinkuotu, spoke to the media
and defended the purchase of the cars.
Mr. Akinkuotu said the cars were for the
ministry’s protocol pool for use in
transporting foreign aviation dignitaries
when they visit Nigeria. His
explanation conflicted with the original
statement by the minister’s spokesman,
Mr. Obi. A source at the NCAA
disclosed that Mr. Akinkuotu felt tricked
into facing the media on the scandal.
“He had been told he would only
appear beside the embattled minister,
who was supposed to speak. Instead,
he was asked to speak,” said the
source.
Meanwhile, a source at the Presidency
said President Goodluck Jonathan was
unfazed about the fraud perpetrated by
Ms. Stella Oduah, his Aviation Minister.
Ms. Oduah and the late former National
Security Advisor, General Owoye
Azazi, had played significant roles in
raising and disbursing money to rig the
2011 presidential elections for Mr.
Jonathan. Mr. Jonathan will depart
Abuja tomorrow on a weeklong
pilgrimage to Isreal.
However, SaharaReporters learnt that
several ministers and diplomats have
registered their displeasure at Mr.
Jonathan’s continued retention of Ms.
Oduah on his cabinet.

SHE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE.

^^^^ all those thieving ministers asking for her head are only jealous that they couldn't hammer such big cash and probably want her replaced with someone who they can benefit more from. All of them on both sides are rouges, and why by the way is Jona keeping quiet on this lady's case? or is he nacking the stella madam too

expect these rumours soon

Pastor Ola: SHE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE.

True bt she is the one caught

And someone will come out to say ASUU is asking for the impossible. This is the reason why the money is not there as they always want us to believe; so they can have enough to fill their wide mouth.

cjrane:

/\/\/\ EXACTLY !

If Princess Oduah were FFK type, she would not have remodelled any airport in Nigeria or at best would have stopped at the exquisite re-modelling of the airports in the country going on.

But no, she is determined to make Nigeria's airports one of the best in the world.To put Nigeria on the world map,in spite of the limited resources at her disposal. Thus, the new international terminals being built.

The cost of remodelling Phuket airport in Thailand is more than $600 million dollars! Yet it still looks like shyt! Meanwhile behold the midas touch given to our Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos by our Princess Stella Oduah !!! Enemies of progress always playing tribalism to ruin any good work or any attempt to develop Nigeria by trying to tarnish the image of our achieving minister should please go and hug a transformer! We are marching on!

Habba Daddy u can lie o! why u just gather different airport pictures dey try deceive people na? We all know that the first and the last pictures are MM2 the lagos local airport, which is NOT the work of Oduah but Lagos State govt. , enter the real MM international Airport (which still looks like shyte by the way) on a rainny day with all its window dressed renovation touch ups and you might still need an umbrella as the NEWLY FIXED roof IS LEAKING

Please do proper research before pasting pictures, this make u look st*pid no offense

Dahbutter:

Habba Daddy u can lie o! why u just gather different airport pictures dey try deceive people na? We all know that the first and the last pictures are MM2 the lagos local airport, which is NOT the work of Oduah but Lagos State govt. , enter the real MM international Airport (which still looks like shyte by the way) on a rainny day with all its window dressed renovation touch ups and you might still need an umbrella as the NEWLY FIXED roof IS LEAKING

MM2 was built by Bi-Courtney, not the LASG.

Dahbutter:

Habba Daddy u can lie o! why u just gather different airport pictures dey try deceive people na? We all know that the first and the last pictures are MM2 the lagos local airport, which is NOT the work of Oduah but Lagos State govt. , enter the real MM international Airport (which still looks like shyte by the way) on a rainny day with all its window dressed renovation touch ups and you might still need an umbrella as the NEWLY FIXED roof IS LEAKING

Please do proper research before pasting pictures, this make u look st*pid no offense

You need to stop saying nonsense . .You even accused someone of lying and not doing a proper research . . . .

Kamanda: Why are these wicked Sharwama Reporters lying on this Fine woman.

Those Limos belong to Chief Yuzeedo of Banana Iceland.

just like Judas Iscariot is a fine man?

The corruption level of Nigerian officials make that of our ministers here look like saints..... The level of impunity
How come t b Joshua is not able to prophecy these things so they are arrested before they commit these crimes,.....
giant of Africa indeed....

guess it transcends every where

So you mean NAMA bought 4 cars for stella alone? Let us reason well.

now this an exact example of why saharareporters.com should not be taken seriously. What's the difference between this and linda ikeji's blog? This article provides no proof, just heresay and sounds like a delibrate attempt to absolve ncaa and remove them from the equation so that as usual stella is to blame. Whoever signed for the purchase order for the cars is legally the culprit. Just read the rubbish they're writing... So u can call a grown man, supposedly put a gun to his head and force him to sign off millions without benefit then an imaginary unseen kickback gets back to the minister in their fraudulent hallucinating minds... Tell that to the fools on nairaland. We need to see documents- purchase order, c of o and till then, this article will remain shameful and unprofessional. Shame on SR.
The ncaa director has a big hand in this regardless of how helpless he looks... And who else in the world will be privy to such intimate details and who else will be spilling if not him as he shoots himself in the foot by having his name and not the minister's on all the documents
think people think.... Enough said

bappahman: Even as the minister of aviation began
a new spin today that the BMW
armored cars purchased by the
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority
(NCAA) for her use were done on "hire-
purchase", SaharaReporters has
unearthed new details about the $1.6
million spent by the Nigerian Civil
Aviation Authority to purchase the
armored BMW cars for Nigeria's
Aviation Minister Stella Oduah.
A highly reliable source has told
SaharaReporters that the shady deal
for the car was done entirely between
Coscharis Motors Limited, a dealership
from which the cars were purchased,
one of Ms. Oduah’s private firms based
in Abuja, and First Bank of Nigeria.
SaharaReporters had revealed the
account number at the First Bank into
which the monies were paid on behalf
of the NCAA.
“The NCAA was not even aware of the
deal until the minister told them to sign
that they had received two BMW cars,”
said our source.
After inking the deal, Coscharis Motors,
sellers of the highly inflated
automobiles, reportedly gave the
Aviation Minister more than N112
million as kickbacks. Our source added
that Cosmas Maduka, who owns
Coscharis Motors, pocked N60 million
for each of the two BMW cars.
An official at the NCAA corroborated
the information that the agency was
largely kept in the dark about the
transaction. “We were never privy to the
transaction and had not seen the cars
even though our head of transport was
made to sign the delivery note,” said
the source. The agency is under the
Ministry of Aviation.
The source added that the agency has
still not seen the cars even after the
scandal escalated. SaharaReporters
was first to break the news that Ms.
Oduah compelled a cash-strapped
NCAA to pay for two extravagantly
priced bullet-proof BMWs for her
personal use. After initially denying our
reports, the minister’s spokesman, Joe
Obi, admitted that the transaction
transpired. Mr. Obi alleged that the
purchase was justified because of
unspecified threats to the minister’s life.
Neither Mr. Obi nor the minister has
provided proof of any threats to Ms.
Oduah. The minister has not addressed
why the NCAA paid a price tag that
auto dealers in the US and the UK
described as a rip-off. US dealers said
that each of the BMW cars should cost
no more than $$167,000.
Last week, an official of the NCAA,
Fola Akinkuotu, spoke to the media
and defended the purchase of the cars.
Mr. Akinkuotu said the cars were for the
ministry’s protocol pool for use in
transporting foreign aviation dignitaries
when they visit Nigeria. His
explanation conflicted with the original
statement by the minister’s spokesman,
Mr. Obi. A source at the NCAA
disclosed that Mr. Akinkuotu felt tricked
into facing the media on the scandal.
“He had been told he would only
appear beside the embattled minister,
who was supposed to speak. Instead,
he was asked to speak,” said the
source.
Meanwhile, a source at the Presidency
said President Goodluck Jonathan was
unfazed about the fraud perpetrated by
Ms. Stella Oduah, his Aviation Minister.
Ms. Oduah and the late former National
Security Advisor, General Owoye
Azazi, had played significant roles in
raising and disbursing money to rig the
2011 presidential elections for Mr.
Jonathan. Mr. Jonathan will depart
Abuja tomorrow on a weeklong
pilgrimage to Isreal.
However, SaharaReporters learnt that
several ministers and diplomats have
registered their displeasure at Mr.
Jonathan’s continued retention of Ms.
Oduah on his cabinet.

E-X-P-O-S-E-D!!!
The Gang Up Against Stella Oduah.
By Captain Ore Kingsley.

**they accused her of blocking their means of livilihood and will do everthing to push her out..
**one wonders, why the DG with initiates a contract, approved by National assembly and they are attacking a Minister that was not involved in the process.

It is highly outrageous to buy two vehicles, any kind of vehicles for... N255 million. Yet, in saying this, let it be known that it is also outrageous for mainstream media to rely on reports of online media, which most of the time are laced with gossips and rumours, for serious aviation reports. Now that Nigerians are outraged about the exaggerated reports on the purchase of the vehicles, the facts of the matter have been eclipsed as the first report always finds a listening ear.

But it is good to deliberate on the motive behind the report and preceding reports before this last one. Princess Stella Oduah as Minister of Aviation has jolted the apple cart. In her strive to make desired changes in the sector, she has excavated the status quo. There are certain trends that have defined the aviation sector. There are always since 1999 those who use lopsided agreements and contracts to milk the aviation agencies. There are also those who use aviation related associations to sustain their lives and the aviation union executives rely on agency heads and succeeding ministers to make money in the sector.

Stella came and changed all that. These people were denied their source of material life by Stella and these are people behind the forces that coalesced against her.

It is said in the industry that two people before 2011 made noticeable changes in the sector. One was Peter Igbenedion who was the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) during the Abacha years. In retrospect also, kudos goes to Mrs. Kema Chikwe who was also the Minister of Aviation in the first tenure of Chief Obasanjo as Nigerian President. Story had it that she was pressured to leave, just as Stella is being pressured now and that when she was eased out, broom was used to sweep out her footsteps from her office. But when she left, the same people acknowledged and still acknowledge that before Stella, Kema Chikwe was the best performing Minister of Aviation since civilian rule in 1999.

When Oduah was appointed, there were three subsisting agreements that were controversial. One of them was Maevis which was managing the revenue of FAAN. FAAN said that the agreement was lopsided against the agency to the extent that the agency did not know how much accrued in its coffers as Maevis every month gave it a hand out, a situation where a principal is being handed over money by its contractor. The agreement, to the agency was obnoxious and it was eating its revenue and hampering development of the 22 airports under its management.

Three Ministers came when the agreement was enforced, including Felix Hyat who just witnessed its unveiling, Babatunde Omotoba who was there when FAAN workers started crying out against the agreement and alleged rip of FAAN by the agreement. He did nothing. Felicia Njeze came and smiled away few years later without doing anything about it. Stella came and did something. She revoked the agreement!

She was attacked with all kinds of arsenal, including media and court scud missiles. She remained unshaken. Other Ministers did not have the courage to do anything because of the Giant Eagle that facilitated the agreement and the agreement was aimed to rip off the agencies and empower some individuals.

Another agreement was the Pan Express agreement which gave the company the right to collect revenues from cargo and pay FAAN certain amount of revenue every month. That agreement was easily eased out because it did not come from the Big Eagle. Ironically that was the only decent agreement that was drawn not to strip FAAN its revenue; in fact, before the company started work, that source of cargo revenue for FAAN was in limbo, but it was done away quickly as soon as contrived agitation against it started.

Then the big masquerade of agreement which is still subsisting: the Bi Courtney concession agreement to build the domestic terminal in Lagos which initially was given for 12 years and was later extended controversially for 36 years without the expected approval of the Federal Executive Council, as Obasanjo recommended when the letter for the extension was presented to him by the then Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode. In the letter requesting for the extension, Obasanjo responded, “No.” That it should be taken to FEC for approval. The approval never took place and since then Bi Courtney has done everything possible to use the courts to get the extension and it remains at best controversial.

How did Oduah cross the way of Bi Courtney? The company realising that it did not have enough apron to park aircraft in MMA2, claimed that the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) belonged to it and pointed out a clause in the agreement that said no other domestic airport terminal should be built in Lagos without deferring to Bi Courtney. Oduah defiantly made it clear that GAT which she dismantled and rebuilt under one year, did not belong to Bi Courtney.

Then there was the AIC Limited which claimed that many years ago a portion of land meant for expansion of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos terminal was given to the company to build hospitality facility. But for years nothing was done at the portion land and recently with terror threats and the inevitable need to have another terminal at the Lagos airport, it became unrealistic to build such facility at that portion of land. Stella Oduah overruled that quest.

The highly placed, powerful people behind these companies have been injured by the Minister. But her purpose is obvious: that for the aviation industry to develop and progress there must be an end to these rip offs and that the assets that are meant for Nigerians should not be coveted by a few highly placed people at the expense of over 160 million Nigerians. The war has been drawn. Stella Oduah must go!

The Foot Soldiers

As stated earlier, the labour union leaders and some association executives rely on aviation agency heads to sustain their existence. A former Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) kept the Aviation Round Table (ART) leaders on a payroll. Other agencies like FAAN, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) give them contracts. But these contracts stopped when Oduah became the Minister. In protest, the attacks against her came in torrents to the extent that the President of ART, Captain Dele Ore at one time alleged that Oduah threatened to kill him. Some aspects of the media made a savoury of it.

Two major associations in the sector, the Air Transport Service Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) have fought and won many wars, so they are feared in the industry. So their leaders became very powerful, so whenever they needed money they would call a press conference and attack one agency or another or the existing Minister. They would be placated, of course with “gifts” to keep them quiet for some time. This shameful trend has continued to this day.

That was why a wise former Director General of NCAA decided to keep the ATSSSAN president permanently in his payroll. He gave his wife a job in NCAA; bought him a car and many times a year sponsor him to overseas training with large estacode. He fully bought his loyalty. The same ATSSSAN president capitalised on the labour feuds with airlines and agencies to fix his other siblings at Aero Contractors and NAMA.

So the major problem of Oduah is that she left this group of people in the lurch. There is the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) whose officers are permanent because for over 12 years it never conducted elections. The Assistant Secretary General of the association, Mohammed Tukur has used that platform to sustain his life in the industry. He became a propagandist. This became apparent when he and others in AON fought against Arik Air in favour of Bi Courtney, when Arik Air insisted that it was not going to operate from MMA2, the new terminal built by Bi Courtney.

Curious people then were asking: Is AON fighting for the welfare of the airlines of that of Bi Courtney. Many journalists who were shocked by that shameful act did not write the story. Today, it has ceased to surprise anybody because the man is unpretentious that he is a paid propagandist. As he campaigned against Oduah today, he can campaign for her tomorrow.

Stella Oduah underestimated this force or she had pre-empted them. But she must have believed that she would win most of them over by her development strides. In under two years Oduah changed the face of many airports in the country. She rebuilt many and expanded others. She completed what remained of the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria, provided the most sophisticated weather reading equipment for the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, and acquired low level wind shear equipment, the weather Doppler radar and low level wind shear alert system which have been installed in all the airports. These equipment ensure that accurate weather data are given to the pilots. Recently the Minister acquired modern equipment for the Accident Investigation Bureau that in less than one week after the Associated flight crash the preliminary report of the accident was out.

The Minister who is expected to be praised by these “activists” who presumably love the industry because they have spent most of their years there, have nothing now but derision for her. They described her remodelling of the airport terminals as mere paint work. They said she has not done anything in the industry and they have concentrated in characterizing her only legacy in the industry as “slippery tiles.” But above all, and this is the critical point, they also accuse her of what they now characterise as “chopping” alone.
One wonders, why the DG with initiates a contract, approved by National assembly and they are attacking a Minister that was not involved in the process.

That is the crux of the matter: she “chops” alone. That is also the grouse the members of the National Assembly: the Minister of Aviation is “chopping” Alone. They believe that for awarding all these contracts for the re-modelling of airport facilities that so much money must have accrued to her. Who will question that when it has always been the trend in Nigeria?

Oduah must have realised by now that many people who talk about development in the aviation industry are really not interested in development; they are interested in their pockets. And as she had closed all the doors against them to make money from “their industry” what does she want them to do? Clap for her for improving the airports. In fact, Captain Dele Ore in his anger and frustration, allegedly said she must go now; that the armoured car bought for her “will not save her.” That was a veiled threat. That also showed how desperate they are!

There are two issues that must be pointed out. If Stella Oduah is removed it means the old, status quo which is anti-development has triumphed and it can be predicted that as the airport terminals where work is going on presently are, so they will remain for many years to come. It has happened in the past. If Oduah is left to do her job, this attack will continue but at the end Nigerians will have better airport facilities and improved air transport sector to show for her efforts.

Captain Kingsley, an aviation consultant, sent in this article from Lagos.

E-X-P-O-S-E-D!!!
The Gang Up Against Stella Oduah.
By Captain Ore Kingsley.

**they accused her of blocking their means of livilihood and will do everthing to push her out..
**one wonders, why the DG with initiates a contract, approved by National assembly and they are attacking a Minister that was not involved in the process.

It is highly outrageous to buy two vehicles, any kind of vehicles for... N255 million. Yet, in saying this, let it be known that it is also outrageous for mainstream media to rely on reports of online media, which most of the time are laced with gossips and rumours, for serious aviation reports. Now that Nigerians are outraged about the exaggerated reports on the purchase of the vehicles, the facts of the matter have been eclipsed as the first report always finds a listening ear.

But it is good to deliberate on the motive behind the report and preceding reports before this last one. Princess Stella Oduah as Minister of Aviation has jolted the apple cart. In her strive to make desired changes in the sector, she has excavated the status quo. There are certain trends that have defined the aviation sector. There are always since 1999 those who use lopsided agreements and contracts to milk the aviation agencies. There are also those who use aviation related associations to sustain their lives and the aviation union executives rely on agency heads and succeeding ministers to make money in the sector.

Stella came and changed all that. These people were denied their source of material life by Stella and these are people behind the forces that coalesced against her.

It is said in the industry that two people before 2011 made noticeable changes in the sector. One was Peter Igbenedion who was the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) during the Abacha years. In retrospect also, kudos goes to Mrs. Kema Chikwe who was also the Minister of Aviation in the first tenure of Chief Obasanjo as Nigerian President. Story had it that she was pressured to leave, just as Stella is being pressured now and that when she was eased out, broom was used to sweep out her footsteps from her office. But when she left, the same people acknowledged and still acknowledge that before Stella, Kema Chikwe was the best performing Minister of Aviation since civilian rule in 1999.

When Oduah was appointed, there were three subsisting agreements that were controversial. One of them was Maevis which was managing the revenue of FAAN. FAAN said that the agreement was lopsided against the agency to the extent that the agency did not know how much accrued in its coffers as Maevis every month gave it a hand out, a situation where a principal is being handed over money by its contractor. The agreement, to the agency was obnoxious and it was eating its revenue and hampering development of the 22 airports under its management.

Three Ministers came when the agreement was enforced, including Felix Hyat who just witnessed its unveiling, Babatunde Omotoba who was there when FAAN workers started crying out against the agreement and alleged rip of FAAN by the agreement. He did nothing. Felicia Njeze came and smiled away few years later without doing anything about it. Stella came and did something. She revoked the agreement!

She was attacked with all kinds of arsenal, including media and court scud missiles. She remained unshaken. Other Ministers did not have the courage to do anything because of the Giant Eagle that facilitated the agreement and the agreement was aimed to rip off the agencies and empower some individuals.

Another agreement was the Pan Express agreement which gave the company the right to collect revenues from cargo and pay FAAN certain amount of revenue every month. That agreement was easily eased out because it did not come from the Big Eagle. Ironically that was the only decent agreement that was drawn not to strip FAAN its revenue; in fact, before the company started work, that source of cargo revenue for FAAN was in limbo, but it was done away quickly as soon as contrived agitation against it started.

Then the big masquerade of agreement which is still subsisting: the Bi Courtney concession agreement to build the domestic terminal in Lagos which initially was given for 12 years and was later extended controversially for 36 years without the expected approval of the Federal Executive Council, as Obasanjo recommended when the letter for the extension was presented to him by the then Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode. In the letter requesting for the extension, Obasanjo responded, “No.” That it should be taken to FEC for approval. The approval never took place and since then Bi Courtney has done everything possible to use the courts to get the extension and it remains at best controversial.

How did Oduah cross the way of Bi Courtney? The company realising that it did not have enough apron to park aircraft in MMA2, claimed that the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) belonged to it and pointed out a clause in the agreement that said no other domestic airport terminal should be built in Lagos without deferring to Bi Courtney. Oduah defiantly made it clear that GAT which she dismantled and rebuilt under one year, did not belong to Bi Courtney.

Then there was the AIC Limited which claimed that many years ago a portion of land meant for expansion of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos terminal was given to the company to build hospitality facility. But for years nothing was done at the portion land and recently with terror threats and the inevitable need to have another terminal at the Lagos airport, it became unrealistic to build such facility at that portion of land. Stella Oduah overruled that quest.

The highly placed, powerful people behind these companies have been injured by the Minister. But her purpose is obvious: that for the aviation industry to develop and progress there must be an end to these rip offs and that the assets that are meant for Nigerians should not be coveted by a few highly placed people at the expense of over 160 million Nigerians. The war has been drawn. Stella Oduah must go!

The Foot Soldiers

As stated earlier, the labour union leaders and some association executives rely on aviation agency heads to sustain their existence. A former Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) kept the Aviation Round Table (ART) leaders on a payroll. Other agencies like FAAN, the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) give them contracts. But these contracts stopped when Oduah became the Minister. In protest, the attacks against her came in torrents to the extent that the President of ART, Captain Dele Ore at one time alleged that Oduah threatened to kill him. Some aspects of the media made a savoury of it.

Two major associations in the sector, the Air Transport Service Senior Staff Association (ATSSSAN) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) have fought and won many wars, so they are feared in the industry. So their leaders became very powerful, so whenever they needed money they would call a press conference and attack one agency or another or the existing Minister. They would be placated, of course with “gifts” to keep them quiet for some time. This shameful trend has continued to this day.

That was why a wise former Director General of NCAA decided to keep the ATSSSAN president permanently in his payroll. He gave his wife a job in NCAA; bought him a car and many times a year sponsor him to overseas training with large estacode. He fully bought his loyalty. The same ATSSSAN president capitalised on the labour feuds with airlines and agencies to fix his other siblings at Aero Contractors and NAMA.

So the major problem of Oduah is that she left this group of people in the lurch. There is the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) whose officers are permanent because for over 12 years it never conducted elections. The Assistant Secretary General of the association, Mohammed Tukur has used that platform to sustain his life in the industry. He became a propagandist. This became apparent when he and others in AON fought against Arik Air in favour of Bi Courtney, when Arik Air insisted that it was not going to operate from MMA2, the new terminal built by Bi Courtney.

Curious people then were asking: Is AON fighting for the welfare of the airlines of that of Bi Courtney. Many journalists who were shocked by that shameful act did not write the story. Today, it has ceased to surprise anybody because the man is unpretentious that he is a paid propagandist. As he campaigned against Oduah today, he can campaign for her tomorrow.

Stella Oduah underestimated this force or she had pre-empted them. But she must have believed that she would win most of them over by her development strides. In under two years Oduah changed the face of many airports in the country. She rebuilt many and expanded others. She completed what remained of the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria, provided the most sophisticated weather reading equipment for the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, and acquired low level wind shear equipment, the weather Doppler radar and low level wind shear alert system which have been installed in all the airports. These equipment ensure that accurate weather data are given to the pilots. Recently the Minister acquired modern equipment for the Accident Investigation Bureau that in less than one week after the Associated flight crash the preliminary report of the accident was out.

The Minister who is expected to be praised by these “activists” who presumably love the industry because they have spent most of their years there, have nothing now but derision for her. They described her remodelling of the airport terminals as mere paint work. They said she has not done anything in the industry and they have concentrated in characterizing her only legacy in the industry as “slippery tiles.” But above all, and this is the critical point, they also accuse her of what they now characterise as “chopping” alone.
One wonders, why the DG with initiates a contract, approved by National assembly and they are attacking a Minister that was not involved in the process.

That is the crux of the matter: she “chops” alone. That is also the grouse the members of the National Assembly: the Minister of Aviation is “chopping” Alone. They believe that for awarding all these contracts for the re-modelling of airport facilities that so much money must have accrued to her. Who will question that when it has always been the trend in Nigeria?

Oduah must have realised by now that many people who talk about development in the aviation industry are really not interested in development; they are interested in their pockets. And as she had closed all the doors against them to make money from “their industry” what does she want them to do? Clap for her for improving the airports. In fact, Captain Dele Ore in his anger and frustration, allegedly said she must go now; that the armoured car bought for her “will not save her.” That was a veiled threat. That also showed how desperate they are!

There are two issues that must be pointed out. If Stella Oduah is removed it means the old, status quo which is anti-development has triumphed and it can be predicted that as the airport terminals where work is going on presently are, so they will remain for many years to come. It has happened in the past. If Oduah is left to do her job, this attack will continue but at the end Nigerians will have better airport facilities and improved air transport sector to show for her efforts.

Captain Kingsley, an aviation consultant, sent in this article from Lagos.

@daily_trust: #BREAKINGNEWS: Scuffle between pro and anti Stella Oduah (#Nigeria's minister of #aviation) ongoing at the Federal Secretariat, #Abuja.

NEWS UPDATE: Head of the Anti-#Corruption Network group & convener of the protest, Dino Melaye, hav bn taken into custody by some policemen.

s

Scrap!

texazzpete:

[s]Stop reasoning like a little child. It doesn't matter if her personal fortune can buy 1 million of the cars. Were the cars bought using Taxpayers money? Yes! Is it not a significa
nt issue for a cash strapped agency to buy these cars for her? yes!

FYI, there was significant noise of the Pension scam issue. But like most episodes of corruption under this present administration, it's been swept under the carpet.



Provide proof that most of the people shouting here are linked to the corrupt waste of taxpayers funds running into hundreds of millions of Naira. Provide that proof or STFU.




By all means, if you have proof of corruption in any Government agency/ministry, post it here or send to Sahara Reporters[/s].

naija2dabone: Scrap!

[size=16pt]Yes, YOU want Stella hanged for bogus crimes cooked up by a faceless online website; sahara-reporters.
But YOU and your people won't let EFCC or other constitutionally mandated federal agencies to investigate the bogus allegation if there was truly any corrupt enrichment on the part of the minister in the said procurement of bullet proof vehicles, a deal she did not even sign!

Hon. Stella Oduah's true crime is that she dared to improve the aviation sector which people from a certain section of the country have bastardized and choked in a strangle hold.

Those tribalist people in their malicious plot against Nigeria had killed Nigeria Airways and killed Air Nigeria. Those people from a certain section of the country frustrated the deal with Virgin Atlantic. All these was done to maintain the strangle hold monopoly to compel all foreign airlines to only use Lagos airport as only point of entry into Nigeria.

Recall that it took heaven and earth to allow Lufthansa & Air France to fly into Port Harcourt, inspite of PH hosting our oil industry. The previous yoruba aviation ministers had strangely insisted that Lufthansa and Air France end their international flight at Lagos airport and the bulk of the passengers who are international oil workers and expatriates can use local airlines to fly into Port Harcourt Intl. !

It took the intervention of the Niger Delta militants that exposed the ultimate yoruba plot to move the oil industry based in Port Harcourt to Lagos, for those evil men to drop their plot to kill PH International airport and the oil industry it serves because they believed it would threaten Lagos airport's viability.
Their compromise was that flights must first come to Lagos airport before it is allowed to take international oil workers PH intl. airport. A senseless process that still makes flying to PH international from Europe a very very expensive enterprise. Indeed, the long protocol of getting to Port Harcourt have forced international oil companies to maintain a Lagos office for operational reasons of dealing with international VIP investors who do not physically need to be subjected to the stress of first shuttling around Nigeria just to get to Port Harcourt.

Princess Stella Oduah had not only worked against all their obstacles and subterfuge to achieve President Jonathan's pledge to finally upgrade the Akanu Ibiam Intl. Airport,Enugu into a true international airport, but also she threatened their monopoly by the planned introduction of a new National carrier ! For this, she must be given a bad name in order to be hanged. Poor useless people that imagine other Nigerians are so dumb to see through their pretenses and wicked plot.

[/size]

Chima_Adeoye:

[size=16pt]Yes, YOU want Stella hanged for bogus crimes cooked up by a faceless online website; sahara-reporters.
But YOU and your people won't let EFCC or other constitutionally mandated federal agencies to investigate the bogus allegation if there was truly any corrupt enrichment on the part of the minister in the said procurement of bullet proof vehicles, a deal she did not even sign!

Hon. Stella Oduah's true crime is that she dared to improve the aviation sector which people from a certain section of the country have bastardized and choked in a strangle hold.

Those tribalist people in their malicious plot against Nigeria had killed Nigeria Airways and killed Air Nigeria. Those people from a certain section of the country frustrated the deal with Virgin Atlantic. All these was done to maintain the strangle hold monopoly to compel all foreign airlines to only use Lagos airport as only point of entry into Nigeria.

Recall that it took heaven and earth to allow Lufthansa & Air France to fly into Port Harcourt, inspite of PH hosting our oil industry. The previous yoruba aviation ministers had strangely insisted that Lufthansa and Air France end their international flight at Lagos airport and the bulk of the passengers who are international oil workers and expatriates can use local airlines to fly into Port Harcourt Intl. !

It took the intervention of the Niger Delta militants that exposed the ultimate yoruba plot to move the oil industry based in Port Harcourt to Lagos, for those evil men to drop their plot to kill PH International airport and the oil industry it serves because they believed it would threaten Lagos airport's viability.
Their compromise was that flights must first come to Lagos airport before it is allowed to take international oil workers PH intl. airport. A senseless process that still makes flying to PH international from Europe a very very expensive enterprise. Indeed, the long protocol of getting to Port Harcourt have forced international oil companies to maintain a Lagos office for operational reasons of dealing with international VIP investors who do not physically need to be subjected to the stress of first shuttling around Nigeria just to get to Port Harcourt.

Princess Stella Oduah had not only worked against all their obstacles and subterfuge to achieve President Jonathan's pledge to finally upgrade the Akanu Ibiam Intl. Airport,Enugu into a true international airport, but also she threatened their monopoly by the planned introduction of a new National carrier ! For this, she must be given a bad name in order to be hanged. Poor useless people that imagine other Nigerians are so dumb to see through their pretenses and wicked plot.

[/size]

Thank you Chima! How the oil companies were moved out of Warri still sadden me even now.
One thing i never knew Nigerians did was to take note of events in a chronological manner.
I am glad you have been following the politics by a group who would rather enslave the entire country for their narrow selfish gains.