Oduah’s Comment On The Recommendation To Sack Her Left Journalist Flabbergasted

The Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, said she would not resign. She expressed her position on Tuesday, while inspected remodelled facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.







When a journalist asked Oduah if she would resign following lawmakers’ recommendations to President Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister replied:

“I think it means you don’t read or you probably don’t understand English because I read it too. What is there is that Mr. President can and should review. That is what they said there. Probably, you should go back to school.”

Oduah’s statement left a mammoth of journalists who had thronged the airport bewildered.

From Minister’s point of view, the lawmakers had neither indicted her nor called on President Goodluck Jonathan to sack her. Rather, she said, the House of Representatives recommended the presidency to review some of the issues in the aviation sector.
To recall, last Thursday the House of Representatives endorsed the report of its Committee on Aviation, which had indicted Oduah over the purchase of two armoured BMW of N255 million.
The report concluded that for approving cars that were not budgeted for in 2013 and for an amount far above the approval limit of the ministry, Oduah had broken the law.
The House, therefore, asked Jonathan to decide whether Stella Oduah should continue to retain her services as a minister.
The endorsement of the report by the House elicited a prompt response from Oduah, who described the action as premeditated and with a hidden agenda.

“We are shocked and disappointed that in spite of the deluge of representations and evidences provided by the Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah and all invited stakeholders on the matter, the House would reach conclusions that have only confirmed that there was a hidden Agenda in the entire exercise from the beginning,” said Joe Obi,Odua’s spokesperson.

Speaking on the remodelled airport, Oduah assured that the airport would be commissioned before the end of first quarter of 2014.

National Carrier To Take-Off Very Soon says Oduah

The Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, on Tuesday said that the inauguration of re-modelled airports in the country would begin in January 2014.
 Oduah spoke while inspecting ongoing work at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
She said that after the remodelling of the airports, Nigerians should expect an aviation industry that would create wealth and jobs for the populace.


The minister said by the second quarter of 2014, the MMIA would have new bridges/fingers and passengers would have better experiences at the airport.
According to her, the Federal Government will continue to ensure the safety and security of passengers at the nation’s airports.
She also said that the government was prepared to give Nigerians a national carrier that would give the best experience to air travellers.
“We are experiencing some challenges at the moment, but once the issues are resolved, the plan will continue.
“We are going to rectify those challenges very soon. The important thing is to give Nigerians the national carrier that we will all admire”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister inspected the newly installed screening machines at the ‘D’ and ‘E’ wings of the MMIA.
She also inspected some office projects within the re-modelled terminal. (NAN

Deposed Wife-Beating Akure Monarch, Pleading For Reinstatement, Sends 18-Page Apology To Governor Mimiko

Late Olori Bolanle

The deposed former Deji of Akure Kingdom, Oluwadare Adepoju Adesina, has written an emotional letter of consideration to the Ondo state government to reinstate him as the paramount ruler.
Mr. Adepoju was deposed after this website revealed his battery of his wife, Olori Bolanle, in May 2010.   His battered wife took ill and subsequently died in July 2011.  Mr. Adepoju then relocated to the United Kingdom.
In the letter, obtained exclusively by SaharaReporters through his lawyer, Barrister Olusola Oke, the deposed Deji appealed to Governor Olusegun Mimiko, for whom he claimed to have worked tirelessly during his election campaign, to consider his plea.
"I must passionately plead with your Excellence to remember how well I stood behind you and fought with you towards ensuring that you won the election and to ensure that you also recovered your stolen mandate,” he said.
Recounting how he was deposed from the town because he allegedly poured a concoction on his estranged late wife, Olori Bola Adepoju Adesina, he said the avoidable communication gap was the reason behind the widely-reported incident.
He claimed that the escalated fracas between him and the late Olori was misconstrued by the press which, he also alleged, refused to report his own version of the story.
Dr Ige Ogunleye, the Chairman of the Osupa Ruling house which Adesina hails from, confirmed receipt of the letter, but he declined further comment.
Many sources in the ruling house disclosed that the letter comes at an important time, as the Deji throne is vacant.  SaharaReporters had earlier gathered from a kingmaker in the palace that the Osupa Ruling House is the next family to present candidates for the throne.
We also learnt that chiefs in Akure will this week complete traditional rites for the late Oba Adebiyi Adegboye Adesida. A source revealed that the daughter of the deceased, Princess Adetutu, is expected to be installed as Regent of Akure pending the emergence of a new king.
The palace source told our reporter that the belated installation was on account of family exigencies.
“The issue is that Princess Adetutu was nursing her baby when the sudden death of her father was pronounced.  But immediately after the whole rites she might will be installed as the regent of the kingdom this week or early in the New Year," the source said.
But an aide to the Lisa of Akure, High Chief James Olusoga, told SaharaReporters in a phone interview that the traditional rites would be completed with the installation of a regent, most likely between Christmas and the New Year festival period.
With just 23 days since the death of Adebiyi Adesida, the jostling for the throne has begun at a frantic pace, with members of the Osupa Ruling House lobbying kingmakers for the vacant sit.
While some seem to favour the return of the deposed Adesina to the throne, others object, fearing victimisation should he re-emerge the king.
In the letter, however, the former and perhaps future Deji seems to have leant his lessons of his experience and reconciled with those who worked against him.
Dated December 19, it was addressed to Governor Olusegun Mimiko through his Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN).  It was copied to the Deputy Governor, Ali Olanusi; the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Samuel Adesina; the State Chief Judge, Sehinde Kumuyi; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bamiduro Dada; and the Akure Council of Chiefs through Lisa of Akure, High Chief James Olusoga.
Source: Sahara reporters

Jonathan drags Obasanjo to rights commission

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan submited Himself to the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, for probe over criminal allegations against him by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Former President Obasanjo had written an 18-page open letter to Jonathan, accusing him of incompetence, engaging in anti-party activities, ethnicism and training about 1,000 snipers ahead of the 2015 polls.
Jonathan, who denied the allegations in his response, is specifically inviting the rights commission to unravel the truth in the allegation that his government had begun training over 1,000 snipers to terminate his political opponents.
In a letter to the commission, President Jonathan is seeking for a thorough investigation of the allegations against him, touching on alleged human rights abuses.
The letter, signed by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, SAN, on the directive of Jonathan, had already been submitted to NHRC.
The letter dated December 23, 2013 was submitted yesterday. Sources close to the Presidency told National Mirror that similar letters had been written to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The two anti-graft agencies are to probe allegations of economic crimes and official corruption against the Jonathan’s administration as contained in Obasanjo’s letter.
Although, National Mirror could not get copies of the letters, a copy of Jonathan’s letter to NHRC confirmed yesterday that both the ICPC and the EFCC had also been directed to handle allegations touching on economic crimes.
In the memo signed by Adoke (SAN) and addressed to the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Prof. Bem Angwe, the AGF requested the commission to investigate the allegations on the human rights violations contained on pages 9-10 of the letter dated December 2 written by former President Obasanjo to President Jonathan.
The memo with number HAGF/NHRC2013/Vol2/5 reads in part: “Re: Before it is too late: “May I draw your attention to the above and the attached State House memorandum dated December 23, 2013 in respect of the above subject matter.
“I am to request you to investigate the allegations bothering on the human rights violations contained on pages 9-10 of the latter dated 2nd December 2013, written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, to President Goodluck Jonathan, attached to the memorandum under reference.
“In order to properly delineate the issues within your sphere of competence particularly as other issues raised in the letter are being investigated by appropriate agencies of government, I have decided to reproduce the relevant paragraphs below.
According to Adoke the paragraphs to be investigated by the commission are: “Allegations of keeping over 1,000 people on political watch list rather than criminal or security watch list and training snippets and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely acquiring weapons to match for purposes like Abacha and training them where Abacha trained his own killers, if it is true, it cannot augur well for the initiator, the government and people of Nigeria. “Here again, there is lesson of his to learn from anybody who cares to learn from history.
Mr. President would always remember that he was elected to maintain security for all Nigerians for personal or political ambition or interest of anyone.
“The Yoruba race adage says ‘the man with whose head coconut is broken may not live to savour the taste of the succulent fruit’. Those who advise you to go hard on those who oppose you are your worst enemies.
“Democratic politics admits and is permissible of supporters and opponents. When the consequences come, those who have wrongly advised you will not be there to help carry the can. Egypt must teach some lessons. “Presidential assistance for a murderer to evade justice and presidential delegation to welcome him home can only be in bad taste generally but particularly to the family of the victim.
“Assisting criminals to evade justice cannot be part of the job of the presidency. Or, as it is viewed in some quarters, is he being recruited to do for you what he had done for Abacha in the past? Hopefully, he should have learnt his lesson.
Let us continue to watch,” the memo added. The Presidency had attached two exhibits to the letter including the original letter written by Obasanjo and the reply by President Jonathan.
Both letters were replete with accusations and counter- accusations, some of which were criminal. National Mirror gathered yesterday that the NHRC would invite the two dramatis personae in the crisis: former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Jonathan to expatiate on the allegations contained in the two letters.
A source at the commission, who did not want his name mentioned, also said that those connected in the allegations would be invited to assist the rights commission by providing particulars to the allegations. The particulars, it was learnt, would guide the commission to arrive at a just conclusion on the sensitive issue. Although the commission had acknowledged the letter, no formal step has so far been taken on it.

Mariah Carey Reveal She’s Not Having Any More Kids

Mariah Carey said that after her experience with being pregnant with her now 2-year-old twins,Monroe and Moroccan, she is done having children. She revealed that she would be up for expanding her family, however, if her husband Nick Cannon would be the one to deliver the babies!
Mariah, 43, is happy with the size of her adorable family — unless her husband wants to step in and take over the whole pregnancy process!
“If Nick could have the babies himself, then yeah, bring ‘em on. We love kids,” Mariah joked during her Watch What Happens Live appearance. She then explained her humorous aside with a more serious reason for why she’s done having kids. “Here’s the thing: This is real. I’m responsible for the kids for like forever,” she said. “I look at it like, they didn’t ask for this lifestyle but here they are.”
”To anyone who has ever carried twins, it is a totally different experience … You don’t even know who you are,” Mariah revealed.
Mariah also explained that Nick’s busy schedule kept him away from her side for much of her pregnancy. “I had a very difficult pregnancy, but I was alone most of the time,” she shared. ”We love Nick, but he’s working. He’s the hardest-working man in show business.”
Mariah Carey opted for a tight leather skirt and matching boots for a shopping spree in icy conditions during her latest strip to Aspen, Colorado

Saudi Cargo Plane That Blocked Abuja Airport Runway Was Carrying Bulletproof Cars For Another Govt. Agency

The uproar generated by the purchase of two BMW bulletproof cars by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has barely died down than another government agency has been revealed as being behind the purchase of 10 bulletproof cars, of which at least no fewer than five them were flown into the country by a Saudi Airline cargo plane that was involved in the Abuja airport mishap about three weeks ago.
The Saudi embassy in Abuja, which made the disclosure weekend, said the cars were meant to be delivered to the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Kaduna.
It would be recalled that the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was shut down for almost 24 after a Saudi airlines plane hit runway repair equipment and got stuck there until it was removed several hours later.
In its statement which was meant to clarify reports in a section of the media that the cargo plane contained illegal arms and weapons, the embassy said the cargo was neither “dangerous nor prohibited,” as it was conveying 100 tonnes of bulletproof cars which were part of a supply contract for delivery to DICON in Kaduna.
“The General Authority of Civil Aviation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has confirmed that the aircraft was chartered by Saudi Arabian Airline, carrying bullet-proof cars and its final destination is Murtala Muhammad Airport, Lagos, Nigeria,” the Saudi mission said in a letter dated December 20.
“The detailed description of the content of the plane is as follows: -A set of bullet-proof cars weighing 58 tonnes. (And) another set of 5 bullet-proof cars weighing 42 tonnes.
“The goods were a portion of a supply contract for 10 bullet-proof cars to a government agency in Nigeria, which were to be conveyed from Sharjah (UAE) via Abuja, through: fast forward cargo US UAC, to: Defence Industries of Nigeria (DICOM), 45, Ahmad Bello Way, Kaduna, through the companies contact person: Mr Nwajpudu Livinston/CCC. (sic).
“The goods were manufactured in South Africa.
“It is important to note that, the goods the aircraft was carrying were neither those considered as dangerous nor prohibited, this is absolutely in contrary to your esteemed newspapers report which stated that the aircraft was carrying weapons”, the statement read.
It is not clear who would use the 10 bulletproof cars as efforts to get the reaction of a spokesman for DICON, Mohammed Lawal Kurfi, did not yield any useful information as he claimed ignorance of the contract and the cargo.

Letter to Jonathan: Al-Mustapha challenges Obasanjo to public debate

Mr. Al-Mustapha said he has forgiven everyone involved in his incarceration.
The former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State, Sani Abacha, Hamza Al-Mustapha, has reacted to postulations by former president Olusegun Obasanjo in his famous letter to President Goodluck Jonathan that he (Al-Mustapha) was released from prison to help the president train assassins to eliminate opposition politicians.
Speaking to the Hausa Service of the Voice of America, VOA, monitored in Abuja on Wednesday, Mr. Al-Mustapha challenged the ex-president to a public debate on the allegations he raised.
Mr. Al-Mustapha said he was away in India receiving treatment for injuries he sustained while in detention during the administrations of Abdulsalami Abubakar and Mr. Obasanjo when he heard of the allegations via a letter published exclusively by PREMIUM TIMES.
“I read Obasanjo’s letter and subsequent comments by Nigerians, I would have responded immediately, but I was away in India receiving treatment,” he said.
He also said although his name was not mentioned in the letter, he was sure the former president was referring to him.
“If he has anything to say on me, he should mention me directly or even challenge me and not make allusions,” Mr. Al-Mustapha said.
The former presidential security chief challenged Mr. Obasanjo to publicly ask him anything; saying he would provide him with answers.
Mr. Al-Mustapha swore that the allegation that he is being used by Mr. Jonathan to train assassins is false. He said he has always been in the vanguard of coming to the aide of people from the north to be recruited into the military and para-military agencies; and would therefore never involve himself in anything that would hurt the region.
“Perhaps it is Obasanjo and his cronies that are planning what he was insinuating,” he added.
I have forgiven all
Mr. Al-Mustapha said he had decided to forgive all those who had a hand in his incarceration when he was being tried for the murder of Kudirat Abiola, wife of the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Kudirat Abiola. He was initially convicted for the murder by a Lagos High Court but was discharged and acquitted by the Court of Appeal.
He, however, added that such people, including Mr. Obasanjo failed to accept that fact and still harbour fears about him and what he knows about them.
“I urge everyone to pray for Obasanjo to accept my challenge for a public debate so that the truth will come out,” he said.
Mr. Al-Mustapha said he is focused on helping Nigeria find its rhythm by uniting the people, especially the youth and the poor.
“From 1974 to the present, a lot of things are buried with all sorts of lies. But all would be revealed one day,” Mr. Al-Mustapha said.
Source: Premium Time