Embattled Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, has left Nigeria for Israel despite the furore generated by the controversial purchase of N225 million bullet-proof vehicles for her by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.

Competent sources told Vanguard that the beleagued minister is reported to have summoned courage and flew to Israel of on Tuesday a day ahead of President Jonathan’s visit to the country, where he is expected to perform some spiritual rites and engage in some bilateral deals.

Oduah, who has already been subpoenaed by the two chambers of the National Assembly to appear and answer questions on her role in the purchase of the cars, will also come under the searchlight of the special probe panel raised by President Gooodluck Jonathan.

The three-man Presidential team that will grill the minister is made up of the immediate past Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Isa Sali Bello, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dakusi (rtd) and AVM Dick Iruenebere (rtd).

Vanguard learnt that the decision by the minister to travel to Israel in the midst of the car con was to reduce the tension generated by the negative development and to give her some time off to pray to God while in the Holy Land.

But there were doubts in the Presidency last night as to whether the minister would be part of the Presidential team to seal the Bilateral Air Services Agreement, BASA, with Israel in Tel Aviv given the negative publicity the car deal had given the country since it broke out last week.

But sources close to the minister said that she was not bothered about the development, as she was said to have received assurance from influential persons close to the Presidency that she would not be dropped because of her political worth to the system.

-Vanguard

Posted by admin on Oct 23 2013. Filed under Africa & World Politics, Aviation, Latest Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry