Anger, disappointment as Senate moves to protect Stella Oduah

Stella Oduah

Angry and disappointed Nigerians were enraged on Thursday as the  Senate rescinded its resolution to have  the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah,   appear  before  its members over the  October 3 Associated Airlines’ plane crash in Lagos.

Oduah is now to appear before the Senate Committee on Aviation alongside the Chief Executive Officers of the aviation agencies under her ministry.

The Senate Leader,  Victor Ndoma-Egba,  who moved a motion for the lawmakers to have a rethink on the invitation of the minister, had  argued that the  action was based on the Senate Standing Order 53 (6) which empowers  it to reverse its decisions.

He also explained that   the decision was earlier  reached at an  executive committee meeting of the Senate last week.

Senator Ganiyu Solomon, who seconded the motion,   said, “At  the executive session last week, the senators were unanimous in the decision  that  the resolution should be rescinded and that the minister should rather face the aviation committee.”

There was however deafening silence when the Senate President, David Mark, called for  comments from the senators and none of them offered any contrary opinion.

When Mark   requested votes from his colleagues on whether to approve or reject the prayers contained  in the motion,  all of them voted in support.

The    Senate decision came  on a  day that one of the victims of the    Associated Airlines’ plane  crash    and  the Ondo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr. Deji Falae, was buried in Akure.

Ndoma – Egba  had last week informed his colleagues that Oduah and the  executives of the   aviation agencies would be received  during Thursday’s plenary.

But the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session last week, had   said the minister and her team would not be received because Mark was leading the  Federal Government delegation to   support   the Golden Eaglets in the United Arab Emirates.

He said the Senate President had signified his intention to personally preside over the session on Thursday (today).

The Chairman of the Senate Aviation Committee,  Hope Uzodinma, later explained   why the  senators   made   a U-turn on  their earlier decision to have   Oduah appear before them  during  Thursday’s  plenary.

He said the action would enable the Senate to carry out a thorough investigation into other issues affecting  the Aviation  ministry  and its agencies   instead of limiting the probe to the October 3 plane crash.

Uzodinma  said, “You will recall that the invitation to the minister was just in relation to the crash of the Associated  airline plane. Now, during this period, fresh issues emerged which called for a holistic and well researched investigation.

 “As it is the practice of the Senate, such investigation is better started from the committee and then the report will be submitted to the plenary.

 “This is exactly what the Senate has done now. I think it is proper and it is in order and it is in accordance with the Senate rules.”

 He described as untrue, insinuations that the Senate leadership was under tremendous pressure from the Presidency to give Oduah, a soft landing.

 The committee chairman said, “I don’t know where you people heard  that  but what

I have just said is in order and that is the rule and that is what we are doing and that is what is authentic and that is out now from me to you.

 “I told you that the invitation was just in relation to the plane crash involving Associated aircraft, the Senate became worried that there were these repeated occurrences  of air crashes and that they needed to know what is happening in the sector.

 “Now, being insensitive to the opinion and feelings of the people would not be good since fresh issues have emerged and that this would push us to details and so that we can carry out a full scale investigation.

 “The Senate has now, in its wisdom, decided to go into full scale investigation so as to be able to look into the sector very holistically with a view to bringing to bear, a permanent solution. And that is exactly what we are going to do.”

 Asked when Nigerians should be expecting the committee to invite the minister, Uzodinma said, “well, the timetable will be worked out as soon as we meet at the committee level.

“We have a meeting this Thursday (yesterday)  afternoon at the committee level just to design a template for that.”

It was however gathered that decision of the Senate to reverse itself might not be unconnected with the fact that   its leadership was not favourably disposed to embarrassing her.

Investigations revealed that highly placed individuals had been mounting subtle pressure on the Senate  leadership since it resolved to invite Oduah to the plenary.

It was learnt that the leadership of the Senate felt  that  many outspoken senators, especially  those in  the opposition camp,  might  seize the opportunity  to ask questions or make comments that might further embarrass  the minister and the Peoples Democratic Party-led  Federal Government.

A  source in the Senate ,  who pleaded to remain anonymous,  said, “From the look of things, the leadership of the Senate was not too keen about sanctioning the woman.”

Asked why none of the Senators made any comment when Mark offered them the opportunity, the source replied, “Everybody had read Mark’s  body language  and  felt that making comments  could attract sanctions.

“The Senate president, according to his deputy, had during   plenary last week Thursday said he would want to be present when the minister would appear. So how come the tone changed suddenly?”

Human  rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), and  the Chairman, Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association,Monday Chima, however, flayed the U-turn by the Senate.

They   said the move was part of the plan by the Senate and the Presidency to sweep the matter under the carpet.

In separate interviews with one of our correspondents,   the  two lawyers argued that  what ought to have  been  done was to sack the   minister and order the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate her.

 Falana said, “The economic and financial crimes involved in the Oduahgate scandal are too grave to be swept under the carpet. Neither the plenary nor the aviation committee of the Senate can exonerate the minister from the scam.

“In view of her indictment by the Bureau of Public Prosecution and the House Aviation Committee,   Oduah has lost all moral right to remain a public officer. President Jonathan should relieve Nigeria of the odium by sacking her without any further ado.”

Ubani described the various committees that had since been set up by the Presidency, the Senate and the House of Representatives as rigmarole aimed at giving  Oduah a soft-landing.

 He said, “It is a way of giving this woman a soft-landing because it is not their responsibility to investigate crime. Crime has been alleged, so it is the  EFCC or ICPC(Independent Corrupt Practices and Other-Related Offences Commission) that should   investigate her.”

The Chairman, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said the decision by the Senate was akin to taking a corruption case “to the burial ground.”

Adeniran said, “It is just like a cult of criminals protecting themselves. Let them allow the EFCC, ICPC or SFU to investigate it.

“There has been no tangible result from the investigations conducted by the National Assembly in this current legislative session because they have moral burden that has not been discharged.”

 Also, the President of the  Campaign for Democracy, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, said the people of Nigeria were “more at rage” over the Senate’s latest decision.

“It is strongly condemnable. Impunity will be on the rise again as a result of this”  she said in a telephone interview in Lagos.

 Meanwhile, the administrative committee set up by President Goodluck Jonathan to  investigate  Oduah’s role in the controversial bulletproof cars has remained silent, three days  after its deadline expired.

 The panel’s chairman, Alhaji Isa Bello, has remained evasive since members started their secret meetings   in the office of the National Security Adviser,  Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), who is also a member of the committee.

 Bello  did not   answer all the calls one of  our correspondents made to his mobile telephone on Wednesday.

 He also did not    reply to a  text message sent to him on the reason for the delay in submitting the  panel’s report.

 Since the committee started work, Bello has not be seen publicly in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.