Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah
PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has not said anything about the report of the panel he set up to probe the controversial purchase of two armoured cars at N255m by cash-strapped Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority for the Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah.
The panel, which has a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Isa Bello, as its chairman submitted its report to the President last Wednesday.
The report, it was learnt, was secretly presented to Jonathan by the Bello-led panel, which also has the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.); and Air Vice Marshal Dick Iruenebere (retd.) as members.
The secret submission of the report confirmed The PUNCH exclusive story last Monday that the presentation of the report might be kept away from the public glare just like the panel’s meetings, which were held in the office of the NSA.
A top Presidency source had earlier told our correspondent that the President would rather base his decision on Oduah on the recommendation of the panel and shun the report of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation.
As at the time of this report on Sunday, Jonathan had not made its decision known.
Another Presidency source however said the President had not even read the report.
Efforts to get the official reaction of the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, did not yield result on Sunday as he could not be reached on the telephone.
At the time the panel was set up, there were mixed feelings among Nigerians with accusing Jonathan of attempt to cover up his aviation minister.
In announcing the establishment of the committee, however, Abati had promised that Jonathan would not spare any person found guilty by the committee.
“President Jonathan will like to assure the general public that nobody, no matter how highly placed, will be shielded or exempted from this inquiry that he has directed and that appropriate action will be taken against any person or persons who maybe found guilty of misconduct or misappropriation of public funds either in this respect or in any other respect,” Abati had said.
The committee’s report was submitted two days after the expiration of the two-week deadline given the panel.
The deadline expired last Monday.
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