Princes Stella Oduah’s Senatorial Ambition Sufers Setback As President Jonathan Orders For Fresh Investigation Into Aviation Contract As FAAN Legal Director Suspended

   

The senatorial ambition of the Ogbaru Princess, Stella Oduah is now in troubkle waters as President Goodluck Jonathan has approved fresh investigations into alleged corrupt practices in the Ministry of Aviation under her watch. 

If this weighs her down , then  Chief Dubem Obaze of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Senator Margery Okadigbo will have the fight easier. Read

And for this to happen , the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission may use daily invitation to frustrate her chances of campaigning and attending the primary and should she attend the primaries , the phobia would be there that she would not have time to represent her people. This is indeed troubled times for the erstwhile Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah.

Already, the President has approved the immediate suspension of Mr. Mark Jacob Nzamah, as Director, Legal Services of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN.

Nzamah, a former National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and one-time Commissioner for Justice in Kaduna State was also the Special Assistant, Legal to Princess Oduah in the Ministry of Aviation.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, according to our source, will soon invite Oduah, who was sacked last year following allegations that she purchased armoured limousines at highly inflated costs, for further questioning.

The actions follow a probe launched by the new Minister of Aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka, to investigate the controversial award of contracts and forceful take-over of some concessions, which had exposed the government to several court actions and unnecessary financial expenditure.

Sources close to the investigations said Nzamah’s suspension suggests that the embattled former minister, who is planning to contest for the Senate, is not yet off the hook over the myriad corruption allegations leveled against her.

Last week, the EFCC said investigations of allegation of corrupt practices against Odua as minister of aviation was still ongoing, stressing; “her matter is not closed. She has been invited; officials of major parastatals in that ministry have also been invited to make statements.”

Jacob’s alleged acts of commission and omission that exposed the Federal Government to ridicule and are presently being investigated include the renovation of the airports that so far cost the government about N9bn.

It was gathered that the contracts were not captured in the 2011 budget, nor were they bid for just as there was no mechanism put in place for evaluation.

Information pieced together by our correspondent indicated that the contract agreements were reportedly skewed against the government in such a way that it cannot terminate such dubious contracts.

As a result, if the Federal Government attempts to terminate the contracts, it will have to pay heavily for it even as it cannot get value for its investments.

Another area under investigation is the alleged squandering of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement funds running into billions of dollars and the forceful ejection of a concessionaire, Maevis from the nation’s airports which resulted in government being ordered by a court to pay more than N1bn in damages.

Other cases instituted in court against the Federal Government as a result of the actions of the former minister include that brought by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services which is contesting the reduction of its concession for the MM2 from 36 to 12 years and that of and AIC Hotels.

Similarly, the MOU signed with Chinese investors building the new terminal at the Abuja airport is also reportedly skewed against the government of Nigeria.

There is also another N228m spent by FAAN for the repair of three generator sets.

The suspension of Jacob is believed to be a prelude to his arrest by the EFCC, a development that is believed to have jolted the former minister, who may have presumed that matter has been closed but the suspension of her trusted aide has put paid to her earlier position.

When contacted, the aviation ministry’s spokesman, Mr. Joe Obi referred our correspondent to the spokesman of FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati, saying that since the issues are more related to FAAN, Dati should be able to address them.

However, efforts made to get to Dati through his telephone proved were unsuccessful as he failed to pick his calls.

The House of Representatives declared the purchase illegal on the grounds that it was not captured in the 2013 budget.

National Mirror report