Corrupt Aviation minister, Stella Oduah, three others, sacked

Posted by admin Latest Politics, National Politics, NNP News, Top Stories Wednesday, February 12th, 2014

Filed by New Nigerian Politics Agency Reporter – Abuja

New Nigerian Politics can authoritatively confirm that President Jonathan today sacked the controversial Aviation minister, Ms. Stella Oduah and three others, Godsday Orubebe, Niger Delta minister, Chris Olukolade, Police Affairs minister and the minister of state for finance, Yerima Ngana. There have been speculations that Mrs. Oduah would be excused from the cabinet following damaging revelations from the online whistle blower media, Sahara Reporters, that the minister forced the hand of two cash strapped agencies under her ministry to purchase two armoured BMW cars for $1.6m.

The dust from this scandal had hardly settled when the same website broke the news of the minister’s fraudulent claimed of earning an MBA from St. Paul’s College in Virginia. Following this claim, officials from the American college stated categorically that the college had never offered or granted a graduate degree in its 125-year history. Upon this declaration, an embarrassed minister instructed her aides to remove all references to the college from her online profile on Wikipedia, the ministry’s website and other platforms.

A presidency source who pleaded not to be identified confirmed to New Nigerian Politics that the ministers were sacked for their involvement in various acts of corruption but were given soft landing with the line that they ‘voluntarily resigned’ to contest the governorship elections in their various states. However, it should be noted that there is no vacancy in Govt. House in Stella Oduah’s home state of Anambra as Chief Willie Obiano was declared governor following elections on Nov. 16, 2013 with a fresh four-year mandate. It is unclear therefore, what governorship office Oduah “voluntarily resigned” to contest after lobbying heavily for the president who the source noted was deeply disturbed by media reports of her corruption and false claims, to retain her, suggesting that she had no intentions to run for any political office.

Repeated calls by New Nigerian Politics to the sacked minister for her reaction was not answered as her mobile phone was switched off.

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