by Gabriel Edokpolo

To those who can read between the lines, the inordinate desperation of those behind continued outpouring of mischievous media attacks on Princess Stella Oduah, the Minister of Aviation, is increasingly being exposed.

There is no doubt that one of the brightest sides of democracy is the celebrated freedom of thought and expression. But, when this universal human attribute is tendentiously configured in warped, skewed and sponsored format for the sole aim of defaming another member of the society –leader or the led, it becomes another kettle of fish and a puzzle to be unearthed.

To those who can read between the lines, the inordinate desperation of those behind continued outpouring of mischievous media attacks on Princess Stella Oduah, the Minister of Aviation, is increasingly being exposed. Perhaps, there is no other better proof of this fact than the pre-emptive leakage and subsequent front page reportage of issues meant for legislative action in the House of Representatives on Thursday, November 7, 2013.

On this day, three Nigerian newspapers carried verbatim as their cover stories what to the discerning mind could be regarded as unofficial but paid advertorials or wrap-around, all in the rabid bid to defame the person and office of the Minister of Aviation. Exposing their flanks and motive as well as pre-emptively reporting the proceedings and decisions to be taken in the House of Representatives that day, it was stated that “Aviation Minister Stella Oduah may soon be waving a painful farewell to her controversial job —should the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation have its way.

It is to recommend today that President Goodluck Jonathan should sack Ms Oduah, for exceeding the official limit in approving the purchase of two bulletproof vehicles by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) at N255million. The committee may have recommended also sanctions for the former acting Director General (DG) of NCAA, Nkemakolam Joyce, and the agency’s Director of Finance, Salawu N. Ozigi – in line with the Civil Service Rules”.

The reports also stated, “The panel is to seek the immediate termination of a loan agreement of N643, 088,250.00 to finance the purchase of 54 vehicles (including the armoured vehicles) between the NCAA and the First Bank of Nigeria. Coscharis Motors Limited is to be asked to refund the N255million meant for the bulletproof vehicles. Besides, the panel will recommend that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should investigate the company for alleged abuse of waivers”.

While one is not questioning the professional right of the three newspapers that featured the above paraphrased story on the same day and in verbatim, it is pertinent to establish the fact that Nigerians, especially decision-makers, should begin to look at the whole issue of purchase of the N225m vehicles more introspectively and dispassionately. It is quite on point for one to alert the nation that the anti-Oduah dummy being presented in the form of patriotic calls by sponsored media mob for her sack may not be nothing but retribution by the powerful extortionists on whose corruption-infested toes the minister has stepped in her seamless march to revolutionalise the aviation industry in Nigeria.

Nigerians need not look further for the anti-Oduah powerful forces behind the media smokescreen of vicious media vituperations against the Minister. Only two weeks ago,   Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited, BASL, operators of the domestic terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA2, Ikeja, asked the Federal High Court Lagos to commit three top officials of the Federal Airports Authority, FAAN, to jail for contempt. Bi-Courtney’s application followed the alleged refusal of the officials, including the Managing Director of FAAN, Mr. George Uriesi, to comply with the orders of Justice Jona Adah, in suit number: FHC/IKJ/CS/70/2012, restraining them from further interfering with work on a four-star hotel and conference centre, which the plaintiff is developing at the airport.

Others against whom Bi-Courtney wants the order of contempt made include the authority’s chief security officer, Col. C.L. Onalo, and its General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Yakubu Dati. The Babalakin-Oduah face-off is a popular issue in the public domain, especially the controversial MM2 Concession Agreement which the company  unilaterally elongated  from 12 to 36 years, and it requires no special attention in this piece. Suffice to say, however, that the battle between Babalakin’s Bi-Courtney and the minister vis-à-vis other well-intended professionals in the aviation industry being harassed with court injunctions, is that of darkness and light respectively.

It is also known nationwide that the Minister has been at the receiving end of sponsored media attacks following the cancellation of FAAN’s agreement with Maevis signed in 2007 to provide an integrated Airport Operations Management System (AOMS) for four international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt. As it is common knowledge, the highly contested cancellation came as result of breach of the terms of the contract by Maevis.

According to the terms of the contract, Maevis was required to pay all monies collected to an account domiciled with the government, from where its commission would be remitted to it. To the contrary and against the letter and spirit of the concession Agreement, the company collected and domiciled the revenues into its own account and remitted peanut at its whim to the federal government; making Nigeria to lose billions of naira annually. The minister found this as unacceptable conduct against the public interest and accordingly terminated the agreement.

There is also the Rotimi Amaechi-Akure NAMA imbroglio which, indeed, was caused by the refusal of the governor to follow simple airport procedure of providing the airport authority with flight plan and manifest-at the end of the day, Oduah was fingered as being  responsible for it.

It is thus crystal clear that it may not be out of logical reasoning that Princess Oduah has been a victim of vicious retribution by these and their allied forces. Interestingly, the arrows are not just against the minister but also against President Jonathan’s transformation agenda.

To be sure, an anatomy of the latest glaringly sponsored media assailment of the minister, which is to incite the Presidency against her, lacks content or contextual merit. All the powerful forces, and more listed above, fortunately found a meeting point in the car purchase controversy to array against the minister. This is clearly not about car purchase; it is vendetta by a rampaging elite which had held the aviation sector hostage for decades and those who find the reforms in the sector too discomfiting for their lawless executive lifestyles.

The fact, however, is that in all the vilifications, including the original instigation by Saharareporters, the minister’s direct involvement in the procurement of the controversial armoured cars, whether by way of giving official nod or physical presence is yet to be established–the very reason Nigerians should begin to view the whole brouhaha with suspicion.

 

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Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.